REV. C. R. HILL

ADA-Services for Rev. Charles Rollen Hill, 87, Ada, are 11:00 a.m. Friday at St. John Missionary Baptist Church, 5700 N. Kelly, Oklahoma City, Rev. M. L. Jemison will officiate. A committal service will be 2:00 p.m. at Hillcrest Cemetery in Oklahoma City. A Wake Service will be held at 7:00 p.m. until 8:30 p.m. Thursday at Philemon Baptist Church in Ada.

Rev. Hill died Wednesday, June 10, 2009 at an assisted living center. He was born August 3, 1921 at Dover, Oklahoma to J. Thomas and Corene Rollen Hill. He graduated from Booker T. Washington High School in Dover, and attended Langston University. He worked at Tinker Air Force Base, Oklahoma City following his service in the U. S. Army during World War II.

He married Naomi Ruth Momon on October 28, 1943 in Oklahoma City. She preceded him in death October 11, 1989 in Ada. They were members of St. John Missionary Baptist Church in Oklahoma City. He later married Ella Mae Colbert Harding on May 30, 1992 in Ada. She preceded him in death October 10, 1994.

Rev. Hill was a graduate of Southern Bible Institute, Dallas, TX. He attended L. K. Williams Ministers' Institute, Bishop College, Dallas, TX; Oklahoma School of Religion; Clinical Pastoral Training, Central State Griffin Memorial Hospital, Norman, OK. His Doctor of Divinity was conferred in 1974 by the Inter Baptist Theological Center in Houston.

Rev. Hill was ordained into the Gospel Ministry on June 28, 1946. He served as pastor of Philemon Missionary Baptist Church in Ada for fifty years, from June 19, 1959 until his death. He was previously pastor of Ebenezer Baptist Church in Jones, St. Paul Baptist Church, Meeker, Mt. Olive Baptist Church, Dover, and Bethlehem Baptist Church in Pauls Valley.

Rev. Hill served lengthy tenures in several positions held with denominational bodies. They include: Moderator of the Southwest Creek Landmark District Association; Instructor in the Southwest Creek Landmark District Congress of Christian Education; Recording Secretary of the Oklahoma Missionary Baptist State Convention; Instructor in the Oklahoma Baptist State Congress of Christian Education; and member of Oklahoma School of Religion Board of Trustees. Rev. Hill was active in civic, community and service organizations including Chaplain at Valley View Regional Hospital, member of the Ada Ministerial Alliance, board member of the Southern Oklahoma Development Association, the Ada Human Rights Committee, Big Five Community Development Corporation, Ada Community Action Committee, and the Pontotoc County Emergency Food and Medical Assistance Program.

He was honored with a proclamation from the City of Ada which declared Sunday, August 9, 1987 to be "Charles R. Hill Day". This proclamation noted his tireless efforts in the advancement of human and civil rights for all persons regardless of race, religion, ethnic or cultural background. It also expressed appreciation for his leadership, vision, hard work and perseverance by his involvement in the many community and service organizations.

In 2008, he was honored by the National Baptist Convention, USA, Inc. for over 50 years of dedicated service as a pastor.

At the time of his death, he was a board member of the Ada Area Youth Shelter. He also held the position of Moderator Emeritus of the Southwest Creek Landmark District Association.

Survivors include special friend and caregiver, Blondell (Sally) Colbert and her husband Herbert; his stepchildren, Franchetti Shoals, Farmina Williams, Evronia Harding, Ronald Harding and Charles Harding; one brother, Thomas S. Hill, Houston, TX; a sister-in-law, Augustine Hill, San Antonio, TX; nieces, Darlene Blakely and husband Alfred, Vernice Rhomes, Marva Gass, Phillis Johnson, Pearline Jeffery, and Diana Wiggins and husband Michael; nephews, Alfred Gaines, Lawrence Gaines, Thomas Hill, Richard Hill and wife Josephine, Minor Donaldson and wife Pat, Larry Donaldson and wife Paula, Sonny Jeffery, Kenneth Jeffery and wife Sandra, Joseph Edwards and wife Madeline, Philemon Baptist Church family and other relatives and many friends.

He was preceded in death by two sisters, Rosa Jeffery and Katie Gaines, one brother, Rev. Richard Hill, and one niece, Wanda Grayson.

Bearers will be Doxie Colbert, Herbert Colbert, Custer McFalls, Wilfred Anderson, Rufus Clark and Gregory Colbert. Honorary bearers will be Jim Begin, L. Z. Black, Alfred Blakely, Joseph Edwards, Alfred Gaines, Eldridge Gordon and Dr. C. W. Whitlow. Flower bearers will be the St. John Deaconesses. Honorary flower bearers will be Dorothy Black, Blondell (Sally) Colbert, Mary F. Colbert, Mabel Frazier, Maxine McFalls, and Georgia Parks.

Criswell Funeral Home, Ada