Mr. Howard G. Hill, age 60, of Vidalia died Tuesday, January 31, 2017 at Meadows Regional Medical Center of Vidalia after a sudden illness.

Howard was a native of Kingsport, TN and resided in Vidalia since 1990. He graduated from Tennessee Technological University with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Mechanical Engineering.  He retired from Trane, where he was employed as a Project Engineer for 37 years.

Howard was actively involved in the United Way, where he served as a board member and on the Allocations, Triathlon and Highlander Committees.  He was a past participant of Dancing with the Stars.  Howard served as a board member, Building Committee and Vice President of the Vidalia area Habitat for Humanity.  He was a member and Past President of Kiwanis, where he served as a board member, along with many other positions.  He was Kiwanian of the Year in 2010 and a graduate of the 2003 Leadership Toombs Class.  He served on multiple committees inside the Chamber of Commerce, including Director of the Chamber of Commerce (2009), Vice Chair of Membership, as well as Economic Development (2011-2012), Chair-Elect of the Board (2013), with the culmination being Chairman of the Board in 2014.  He was an active member of the Vidalia Onion Airshow committee and served for over 8 years as the parking chairman.  Howard was a board member of the Toombs County Boys and Girls Club.  He served as Chairman of the Electronics Advisory Committee at Southeastern Technical College.  He was a member of Vidalia Band Boosters and served on the concession stand committee from 1997-2012.  He served as the treasurer of the Toombs County Soccer Association, and was president of the Vidalia Community Chorus.  He was a member of the Meadows Regional Medical Center operating Board of Directors, where he held the position of Secretary, and served as a member of the Doctor Recruitment and Finance Committees. Howard proudly served as an active fire-fighter for the Higgston Volunteer Fire Department and previously for the South Thompson Volunteer Fire Department. He was an active member of the Montgomery County First Responders since 2003 and served as Chief.

Howard was recognized for his many accomplishments where he received the 2014 Man of the Year Award for Vidalia.


Howard was an elder in the Vidalia Presbyterian Church, where he has served as Chairman of the Grounds, Worship and Music Committees; he also was an ex-officio member of the Congressional Care, Fellowship and Christian Education Committees.  He was a member of the choir and Presbyteers, a Barbershop Quartet.  Howard was involved in several mission trips to Honduras to assist building a hospital 20 miles in the jungle.

He is preceded in death by his parents, Roy and Mary Sue Hill and his brother, William E. Hill.

Howard is survived by his wife of 37 years, Barbara Hill; two daughters, Susan and her husband Nicholas Saldivar of Evans, GA; and Sarah and her husband Ryan Carter of Fort Dodge, Iowa; and two grandchildren, Landyn Carter and Baby Saldivar, due in July.  

Funeral services for Mr. Howard G. Hill will be February 4, 2017, at 2:00 pm at Stewart-Rosier Funeral Service Vidalia Chapel with Reverend Ron Gilbreath officiating, and Dr. Jay Warthen and Reverend Kevin Hicks speaking. Interment will follow at Lakeview Memorial Gardens with Fire-Fighter honors and Honorary Guard. The family will receive friends at Stewart-Rosier Funeral Service Vidalia Chapel Friday from 2:00 – 8:00 PM.  

As most know, Howard was an avid Tennessee Volunteer fan who loved wearing Tennessee orange.  The family requests everyone that can, wear orange, in honor of Howard.

          Stewart-Rosier Funeral Service Vidalia Chapel is in charge of funeral arrangements.