Edward James Hill

Edward James Hill (aka Jr) of Kansas City, MO., received his wings on February 16, 2023. Ed was born October 4, 1948, in Kansas City, Missouri, to the union of Bertha Lee Hill and James Edward Hill.  He was preceded in death by his parents and one older brother Clarence Hill.

Ed grew up in Kansas City, MO and later moved to Orlando, FL, where he lived for 30 years until returning home to Kansas City recently in September 2022.

He was educated in the KCMSD graduating from Central High School Class of 1966. While attending high school he was a member of the marching band playing the trombone and the bass drum.  Ed always had a love for music since receiving a set of drums as a young child, if he wasn’t beating his drums, you could always find him tapping on anything around just to make a musical sound.

After graduating from high school Ed enlisted in the United States Air Force where he traveled all over. During his military service he was an aircraft mechanic working on airplanes to keep them flying safely.  He quickly worked his way up through the ranks to Sergeant E-4. He was actively training for deployment to serve in the Vietnam War when he received an early honorable discharge, due to the failing health of our mother, and was allowed to be home at the time of her passing. He later re-enlisted into the Air Force Reserve to continue his military career.

Ed experienced many struggles in his life, but he recognized that he needed God to be first in his life.  He accepted Christ into his life and was baptized at Pleasant Green Baptist Church in Kansas City, KS in 1982, under the leadership of Rev. David Gray. Years later after moving to Florida, he joined the Life Center Church in Eatonville, FL, and most recently, after returning to Kansas City he became a member of Cleveland Avenue Baptist Church. He had a strong faith in God and spent a lot of time confessing his faith and talking about the Lord to family members, his healthcare professionals in charge of his care, and anyone that he spent time with.  He often stated that he was not afraid to die because he knew that he would soon be with the Lord. One of his favorite sayings was, “To be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord”. He would also say daily how blessed he was to live another day, and would recite the Lord’s Prayer every day.

Ed held many jobs through the years, he was employed at Bendix Corporation in Kansas City, and later as a Metro bus driver for the KC ATA for many years.  After moving to Orlando, FL he was employed at the Salvation Army for many years, and later as a machine mechanic for Kendall & Gent Inc Machine Threading Company, rebuilding and repairing all types of machines for over 12 years until his retirement. Ed loved working with his hands, he had every tool imaginable and was always working on planes or cars, and building and dismantling, and restoring all types of machines;  In other words, he could tear it up and put it back together again ever since he was young.

Ed loved his family, he was very proud of his children and grandchildren and their accomplishments, and he was always a big protector of his sisters.  He loved cars, attending car shows and drag racing events, he enjoyed cooking and listening to music, he loved listening to Jazz and Old School music and was a huge fan of Jimi Hendrix and James Brown, always showing off his imitation of James Brown dance moves. He loved watching all sports and has always been a huge KC Chiefs fan down through the years, keeping up with his KC Chiefs even while he lived in Orlando, FL up until the recent Super Bowl win.

He leaves to cherish his memory, three sons: Marc Hill (Kansas City, MO), Mike Hill (L’Nay) (Atlanta, GA); Rylan Hill (Ft Smith, AR); three daughters: Shawn (Hill) Martin (Kansas City, MO), Adrienne (Hill) McDade (Norcross, GA), Stacie Hill (Greenville, SC), seven Grandsons: Troy Bohannan, Dominick McDade, Aadrian Bohannan, Anthony Martin, Marc Hill, Charles Hill, Kion Martin; four granddaughters: Makayla Hill; Lucki Harper, Aaryn McDade, Vanessa Hill, one great-granddaughter: Catalina McDade. three sisters: Jamesetta Jones (Duluth, GA), Yvonne Woodley (Norman), Gladys Hill of Kansas City Mo., a host of nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends.