Reprint from the Progress Times - August 10, 2007
©Progress Times 2007 - All Rights Reserved

Local attorney, civic leader Vernon Hill passes away

Local attorney and civic leader Vernon B. Hill, Jr. of Mission passed away August 2 at Rio Grande Regional Hospital in McAllen. He was born in 1929 in Mission to Vernon B. Hill, Sr. and Dorothy Lochridge.

Hill distinguished himself early in life. He was an Eagle Scout, edited the high school newspaper and yearbook, was a two-year, all-district basketball player, National Honor Society member and graduated valedictorian from Mission High School in 1947.

He enrolled at the University of Texas in the fall of that same year on a full scholarship. He pledged and actively supported Texas Alpha Phi Kappa Psi fraternity. In 2004 at the Centennial Celebration of the Alpha Gamma Chapter Phi Phi Phi Fraternity, he was awarded the Public Sector Recognition Award of the Texas Alpha in recognition of his 30 years of combat service and 20 plus years as a civil trial lawyer and mediator.

On campus, he tutored student athletes, became ROTC Cadet Colonel and Brigadier Commander, selected Outstanding Army ROTC Graduate and was selected for Regular Army Commission. In addition, he was a member of Scabbard and Blades, Phi Sigma Alpha, Phi Beta Kappa and Phi Delta Phi. In 1953, Vernon, Jr. received a Bachelor of Science in Government Plan II. The following year he attended UT Law School and later attended SMU Law School and received his LLB in 1955.

Hill was commissioned into the U.S. Army in 1955. He served in the regular Army through 1977 and in the reserves until 1998. His duty included three tours in Vietnam, Central and South America, Africa, Middle East and Europe. Most of Hill’s assignments were with the Special Forces serving with the Rangers and Green Beret. He received numerous military honors and awards from his service and later endured 22 major surgeries resulting from combat injuries. In 1997, he was honorably discharged following the surgeries.

Hill went on to sponsor four Vietnamese children as immigrants who later became U.S. citizens with multiple degrees and professional careers.

In his community service, Hill was honored as "Mr. Mission" in 1999, to honor his service in the Rotary Club, Red Cross, United Way, Chamber of Commerce, Mission Museum Board, Horizon’s National Charity Group, Planned Parenthood, Veteran’s Memorial of Texas, and St. John’s Episcopal Church which was founded by his father. Hill most recently became a member of the Catholic Church.

Survivors include his wife, Aurora Cantu Hill of Mission; daughters, Barbara Thornton of Mesquite, Shellie Smith of Sunny Vale, Marc Hill of Mesquite, and Dorothy Hill of New Mexico; son, Marc Hill of Mesquite; eight grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.

A funeral mass was held August 6 at St. Paul’s Catholic Church in Mission. Rev. Roy Snipes officiated, and burial followed at Laurel Hill Cemetery in Mission. Funeral services were under the direction of Ric Brown Family Funeral Home in Mission.

The family suggested memorial contributions to be made to the American Red Cross or the Salvation Army.