JOHN ROBERT “BOB” HILL
John Robert “Bob” Hill passed away on February 19, 2016 after a long illness. Bob was born on August 17, 1929 in Kimberly, Nevada to Earl M. Hill and Jennie McColl Hill. He attended grade school in White Pine County and high school in Price, Utah, graduating from Carbon High School in 1948.
In January 1951 he was drafted into the United States Army and served with the 25th Infantry Division and its attached Turkish brigade, holding down the battle line northwest of the “Punchbowl”, during the Korean conflict. He was awarded the bronze star in that action. He was discharged from the Army on August 8, 1953. Later that year he enlisted in the United States Air Force and later served in the Vietnam war. He retired from the Air Force on January 1, 1973, as a technical sergeant.
On July 9, 1960 he married the love of his life, NancY Ann Francone, at the Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Ely, Nevada. In 1968 the two adopted their son, John R. Hill, Jr. when he was six months old. The family settled in Ely after Bob’s retirement.
Bob worked at several places after his return to Ely, including Kennecott, the oil fields in Railroad Valley, the Radar Tracking Station west of Ely, Amselco, the White Pine County School District as a custodian, the Bristlecone Convention Center and the United States Postal Service. He also worked for a time at the Fallon Naval Air Station as a civilian employee. Nancy would travel from Ely to Fallon to be with Bob on weekends. Bob enjoyed reading, fishing, working crossword puzzles and visiting with family and friends. He was in the process of writing his memoir but unfortunately did not complete it.
He was preceded in death by his father, Earl Hill, his mother Jennie McColl Hardin, brother Earl McColl Hill and his wife Bea, sister-in-law Pansy Francone Stewart and brother-in-law John Palermini.
He is survived by his wife of 56 years, Nancy, son John, Jr., sister Freddy (Jack) Van Camp all of Ely, sister-in-law Rena Palermini of Antioch, CA., sister-in-law and brother-in-law Debbie and Mike Francone of Ely, and his little dog and buddy, Duke. He is also survived by many nieces and nephews.
We will miss his amazing dry sense of humor. Rest in peace my good man.
A Celebration of Life will be held at a later date. 
God speed Cousin. Thank you for all you did to make my summers spent in Ely as a young boy memorable.
Nancy and John, our prayers and thoughts are with you.
Nancy and John: So sorry for your loss. Bob was such a nice man, and I know he rests in peace with God.
Always such a pleasant caring man. So sorry to see him go.
As far back as I can remember, Uncle Bob was a kind man. He enjoyed making all of us kids laugh and slipped us a few candies here and there. Later on, he came into the bank, where I worked, and always challenged my math skills, which, at the time, I didn’t know I needed. He is actually the one person who helped me fully understand compound interned and its calculations. I enjoyed our financial conversations and visiting with him more than he will ever know. Rest in peace Uncle Bob, you will truly be missed!
Sorry for your loss, I enjoyed and always looked forward to seeing Bob.