Calvin Hill's Funeral Set for Tuesday

Funeral services for State Rep. Calvin Hill (R-Hickory Flat), whodied on Wednesday of complications from leukemia, will be held on Tuesday.

Services will be held at 12:30 p.m. on Tuesday Nov. 5 at Canton First United Methodist Church and internment will follow at Macedonia Memorial Park, 

The Rev. Jim McRae will officiate the service. 

Hill's family will receive visitors between noon and 6 p.m. on Sunday and between 3 p.m. and 8 p.m. Monday at Darby Funeral Home in downtown Canton.

Hill is survived by his wife, Cheryl Hill; mother Carol Hill of Canton; daughter Amanda (Ken) Locke of Canton; sons Robert Hill of San Francisco, Calif., Jason Hill of Canton, Matt (Emily) Jobe of Canton, Adam Hill of San Francisco and Austin Hill of Salinas, California; sister Janice Rodriguez; and several grandchildren, one great-grandchild, and a host of nieces and nephews.

The family asks that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to the Wounded Warrior Project: PO Box 758517, Topeka, Kansas, 66675.

City and county elected officials and business stakeholders are praising Hill, who they said went above and beyond for Cherokee County.

Woodstock Mayor Donnie Henriques said Hill's passing will be "a big loss" for Cherokee County. Henriques, who said he's known Hill both professionally and personally, noted the former legislator was always willing to listen to the city's needs during the Georgia General Assembly's legislative sessions.

He also said Hill's support and diligent was key to the Cherokee County government getting the funding necessary to expand theCherokee County Regional Airport's runway to just over 5,000 feet. 

Cherokee Bank President Dennis Burnette noted Hill "encouraged and fostered the ideal of service and high ethical standards."

"Everyone in Cherokee County who knew him were inspired themselves by his service to the community and his high ethical standards," he added.

Canton Mayor Gene Hobgood echoed Henriques' statements, and added said Hill was very responsible whenever he pinged the legislator for questions. He noted Hill also served as a liaison between the city and state agencies when collaboration was needed on multiple levels of government.

"It will be a serious loss to our county and the city as well," Hobgood said of Hill's passing.

Pam Carnes, president and CEO of the Cherokee County Chamber of Commerce, also praised Hill's work ethic, noting he was a "dedicated public servant who went above and beyond to support his constituents."

Carnes, who graduated from Leadership Cherokee and attended church with Hill, also said she considered the legislator a friend. 

Cherokee County Chairman Buzz Ahrens noted he appreciated Hill's willingness to be accessible to local leaders and "his willingness to try to make things happen."

"We didn’t ask for a lot of things, but he was always there to listen and (possibly) move things forward," he added. 

Cherokee Office of Economic Development President Misti Martin had the chance to serve with the former lawmaker when he was on the Chamber's Leadership Cherokee Steering Committee. 

Martin, who graduated from Leadership Cherokee as part of the class of 1997, said Hill's commitment to the community remained consistent as he transitioned into public service.

"His commitment to our community was evident then, and he continued that commitment by serving us in the state legislature," she said. "He was a great supporter, both personally and professionally and an advocate for economic development." 

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