Newspaper Page Text
PAGE 8A
October 29, 2008
^Reporter
Hill
during this time of grief."
Out of respect for Hill
and his commitment to
bank customers and the
community, Bazemore said
they will stay open during
usual business hours as
Hill would have wanted.
The bank will close at
noon on Wednesday, Oct.
29 in his memory before
resuming normal business
hours on Thursday.
The bank remains on
solid footing, said
Bazemore.
Long-time friend Harold
Clarke said Hill, two years
his junior, was "absolutely
brilliant," so much so that
a lot of folks couldn't
understand him.
Clarke recalled that Hill
stood out even when they
were boys, but not only
due to his intellect. When
Hill was six, his mother,
Cora Hill, was told by a
doctor that the way to stay
healthy was to remain
barefoot all year long. So
from age six, little Karl
would roam around his
home and the streets of
Forsyth barefoot. Even
when a rare snowstorm hit
Monroe County, friends
headed over to the Hill
home to see that yes, even
then, Karl was traipsing
through the cold with no
shoes.
"It was his eccentricities
that made him a more
complete person," said
Clarke. "The planet and
the country would not be
as good a place without
them, without people who
don't just try to be like
everybody else."
Whatever the health ben
efits of going bare-foot, he
developed a life-long love
of walking. He is thought
to have walked every mile
of every road in Monroe
County, and even of some
surrounding counties. He
walked about 12-14 miles
per day and would often
show up on people's
doorsteps begging a glass
of water.
"A lot of people thought
it was weird," said Clarke.
"But some people go hunt
ing, some go fishing, some
watch TV, and Karl
walked."
In his younger years, Hill
was also a real good tennis
player, said Clarke. And he
loved to travel.
"He's the most travelled
person I ever knew," said
Clarke, remembering Hill
would bring back a "world
of photographs" from
places like Africa, the
South Sea Islands and
California. And upon his
return, he'd always bring
back things he'd found for
staffers at the bank.
And it was in traveling
that he met a pretty
Brazilian lady with whom
he would later marry.
Clarke served as best man
in the wedding.
Unfortunately, the mar
riage was short-lived, and
Hill never remarried.
Hill was also a big phi
lanthropist, said Clarke,
more than most people
knew because he didn't
brag about it. He was a
large benefactor for the
local theater group, the
Backlot Players, and for
Save-A-Pet.
In business, said Clarke,
Hill was very practical and
very conservative. He
helped the bank grow from
$5 million in assets to $85
million, and moved the
bank from its aging loca
tion on Johnston Street to
a new facility on Main
Street in the 1970s. He
also opened the first
branch in fast-growing
Bolingbroke.
While he'd become a
political conservative in
his later days, Clarke said
fresh out of Harvard he
was a staunch Democrat,
going to Washington, D.C.
to help one of his profes
sors start the Department
of Housing and Urban
Development.
What changed his views?
Clarke said he wasn't sure,
but said Hill was not a
person who'd get so bull
headed he wouldn't
change.
Hill spent a lot of time
reading, but he wasn't a
hermit, said Clarke. Hill
was part of a group that
gathered each year at
Clarke's cabin on the
Towaliga River to listen to
or watch the Georgia-
Florida game. The group
include political columnist
Bill Shipp, George Berry,
Tom Watson and Hal
Gulliver, former editor of
the Atlanta Constitution.
Having been close friends
for such a long time,
Clarke said Hill's passing
has been quite difficult.
Another close friend,
retired FBI agent George
Melter, said he doesn't
think the world will see
another one like Karl Hill.
"Not only have I lost a
friend, we've lost one
unique character," said
Metier. "He was the most
unique, eccentric individ
ual I have ever known."
Metier and Hill had been
friends since Hill moved
back to Forsyth in 1968.
They had a lot in common.
Hill had been in counterin
telligence in the Army and
Metier was with the FBI.
For 40 years, Metier said
Hill would come over to
his house, watch the
Georgia Bulldogs on TV
and spend time with his
family. In fact, in those
early days, Hill showed his
tender side when he would
tuck their newborn baby
into bed, singing Japanese
lullabies. Metier recalled
how awkward Hill looked
handling a little baby but
said it just showed how
kind Hill could be, even
with small children.
"I've had many friends
all over this world, but
never anybody like him,"
said Metier.
The Metier family moved
around a good bit, to
London and Spain, but the
ever-travelling Hill would
inevitably come and visit
with them.
More recently, they trav
elled together, taking a
five-week road trip to
California. "We had the
best time," said Metier,
recalling an upscale
restaurant in Monterrey
where the owner knew Hill
The City of Forsyth is accepting sealed bids for the
installation of the electrical and CATV infrastructure
of the Department of Corrections renovation of the
former Tift College Campus site. Bid packages may
be picked up at the City Clerks office at City Hall, 26
North Jackson Street, Forsyth, Ga 31029. Sealed bids
must be returned by close of business on Friday,
October 31, 2008.
Notice of Availability of
Environmental Assessment
The Rural Utilities Service has issued an Environmental
Assessment related to possible financing assistance to
Georgia Transmission Corporation for the construction of a
warehouse in Monroe County, Georgia. The Environmental
Assessment is available for review and comment. For more
details, please refer to the Rural Utilities Service's notice in
the legal section of this newspaper.
continued from the front page
by name. Then there was
time in San Francisco
where the two ordered so
much food that the chef
wanted to know where the
rest of the company was.
The two had talked seri
ously about traveling to
Spain soon, as Hill wanted
to see one of his favorite
art museums, the Prado in
Madrid. But it wasn't to
be.
Another great thing
about Hill, said Metier,
was that Hill, who couldn't
keep his shirttail in his
pants and wore short-
sleeves shirt all winter,
was so oblivious to the fact
that he was so unique. "He
lived in his (own) world,"
said Melter. "He..had no
idea. He just didn't think
of things like that."
Metier, who's also an
author, said he told Hill
that one day he will write
a book with Hill as a char
acter, and said he still
plans to.
Metier and Hill have
remained close all these
years. Metier said when
his wife died six months
ago, Hill was a great help
and encouragement in
offering counsel.
They still enjoyed regu
lar outings to the Royal
Palm, Grits or the Shogun
Japanese restaurant in
Macon.
And right up until last
week they had been watch
ing the World Series
together on TV at Metier's
home.
On Thursday night,
Metier said they were sup
posed to watch Game 2 of
the Series. Hill, a big Red
Sox fan from his days at
Harvard, came over after
work at the bank. But he
just handed Metier a box
of ice cream and said he
couldn't watch back-to-
back games.
As he was leaving out
the door, he turned around
and gave Metier a hug and
said he was the best friend
he ever had.
The next morning, it was
learned that Hill had died
during the night.
RE-ELECT
HAROLD CARLISLE
CHAIRMAN, COUNTY COMMISSION
Certified County Commissioner
Graduate of ACCG Leadership Academy
Served his County for 12 years, eight as District Commissioner
Four years as Chairman
Serves on Board of Regional Development Commission
Serves as Chairman of Middle Georgia Clean Air Commission
Serves on Middle Georgia Consortium Work Force Board
Serves as member of Georgia Environmental Facilities Authority
Served on Georgia Agricultural Exposition Authority
Served on Monroe County Development Authority
Member of Forsyth-Monroe County Chamber of Commerce
Member of Forsyth Kiwanis Club
32nd Degree Mason, Past Master
Shriner, Past Potentate
Past President of National Guard Association of Georgia
Member of Forsyth Post, American Legion
Retired from U. S. Army Reserve as full Colonel
Retired from Georgia National Guard as Brigadier General
Retired from private business
Married to my wife and best friend for 52 years
HAS THE TIME, ENERGY AND DESIRE TO
SERVE OUR COUNTY FOR 4 MORE YEARS
HAUNTED HOUSE
October 31, Friday
9:00pm-12 midnight
November 1, Saturday ^
8:00pm-11 :OOpm
Under 10 must be accompanied by a parent
From Forsyth:
• Take Highway 41 South
• Turn Right onto Montpelier Road
• Haunted House 3/4 mile on the right.
Follow the Signs
MONROE ACADEMY
470-994-5906
Light Concession Available