Gene Hill

Gene "Slick" Hill, 88, of Roswell, Ga., beloved husband and father, quietly passed away Saturday, Aug. 22, 2009.

He was born in Charleston, Mo., March 31, 1921, to Guthrie and Alyene Hartle Hill.

He attended Lutesville High School and went on to Southeast Missouri State University where he starred on the baseball, track and field, and basketball teams.

Gene flew for the 13th Air Force in the South Pacific and was awarded 10 Bronze Stars.

In 1946 in Atlanta, he married the love of his life, Jo Ann Schmuke, the youngest of the seven Schmuke girls from Jackson. He considered the Schmuke girls, their husbands and family among the best friends in his life.

With a 43-year career with General Motors, Gene was instrumental in the dieselization of the American railroads, which included the sale of more than 1,200 domestic and foreign locomotives in one year.

He retired as general sales manager for the Electro-Motive Division in 1983. He loved golf, fishing, and his two bird dogs, Whitewater Rex and Tripp.

A larger-than-life man, he will be greatly missed by his family: Jody, Melissa and John, Mary and Wayne, Jody and Asher, Tim, Steve, and Chris.

He always considered the back roads of Missouri his home and will be laid to rest in Jackson City Cemetery at a later date.

Alpharetta-SouthCare Funeral Home in Alpharetta, Ga., is in charge of arrangements.