William Mancel Hill

Our beloved husband, brother, godfather, and friend passed away after a long battle with Parkinson’s. Bill had a sparkle in his eye and shared his mischievous grin to the end. He had a unique talent for making people feel special and welcoming them into his extended family. 

Bill was born in Ecru Mississippi and made his way to California through his time in the military working in base operations where a friend taught him to fly. No matter where he was, he created close friendships that lasted a lifetime. Bill was a precocious child excelling in school as anyone who watched Jeopardy with him in later years can attest. He ran track in high school setting school records in the half mile. Bill attended college at American River and Sacramento State University majoring in Political Science.  

Bill’s life was forever changed the day he met Wanda Jean Wilson, who became his life-long partner and best friend. They were married in Memphis in 1960 and spent a lifetime serving the community in many ways including 30 years at the California Youth Authority, as a Shriner, a Mason and as a devout member of the Baptist church. 

Bill was simply fun to be around. He could captivate the room with a joke or a story. Children loved Bill. He could make the most mundane afternoon feel like a magical adventure.The drive home from school would become a “100mph” thrill ride by way of briefly revving the engines. A trip to the dump would become a treasure hunt. Looking around his backyard would turn up bars of hidden “gold”. 

He gave people nicknames that lasted lifetimes and expressed such regard for those he loved. Children were named after him. He dispensed valued advice and when he talked, everyone in the room seemed to stop and listen. 

The amount of love and respect Bill garnered could be measured by the full house that he so often had. You could find so many different types of people on “the hill” where he lived next door to his close friends for nearly 40 years. In retirement, Bill could be found working in his shop, planning his annual hunting trips, growing the perfect tomato, building his coin and knife collections, feeding his covey of quail or telling a story to one of his many friends. 

One of his last requests to his beloved Wanda was “at my funeral please be sure to have good food for my friends”. The warmth, love and acceptance that Bill shared with everyone he met will be truly missed.

The family has requested that remembrances be made in the form of contributions to Shriners hospital or the Michael J Fox Parkinson's Foundation.