Evening star., 1937-02-21
EDWIN F. HILL DIES
OF RARE A|LMENT.
Leukemia Proves Fatal to
Widely Known D. c.
Civic Worker.

Death last night terminated the long
and useful career Of Edwin F. Hill,
known to thousands of Washing
tonians and one Of the most popular
men in civic life here.
been suffering from a rare and in
durable ailment, leukemia, but said
nothing about it, and remained active
in his work as regional information di-
rector for the Chesapeake & Potomac
Telephone Co. until 10 days ago.
Next to his life work, to which he
had devoted 81 years, Mr. Hills great
est interest lay in the welfare and good
fellowship activities of Kiwanis Clubs.
He was one Of the best known XII
wanians in the United States.
Kiwanians Meet at Bedside.
Even his final illness failed to
dampen Mr.. Hills enthusiasm for XII
wants activities, and only last Thurs
day he received delegation Of fellow
members of the Washington club at
his home, % East Woodbine street.
Chevy Chase, Md.
The club had voted to recess and
continue the meeting at Mr.. Hills bed
side to save the perfect attendance rec
ord he had established during his 10
years of membership here. The Ar
lington County Kiwanis Club voted
similar action Wednesday to show ap-
probation for Mr.. Hills aid in organiz-
ing the club.
Mr.. Hill died at his home at 5:45
o'clock last night. He was SIS years
old, having been born January IS,
1882, in Orange County, Va.
Began in Line Crew.
He began In the telephone service
as helper in a line crew with the
Southern Bell Telephone & Telegraph
Co., the predecessor of the Chesa-
peake & Potomac Co., in 1900 at
Portsmouth. Va.
His rise thereafter was rapid. He
became lineman. a cable splicer,
foreman, general foreman, district
plant superintendent and division su-
perintendent and worked in the tide
water area at Richmond and at
Charleston, where he served as in
formation manager for West Vir-
ginia.
While working in West Virginia Mr..
Hill received the Theodore N. Vail
medal for public service after he spent
"a hours collecting information over
the telephone which eventually loca ted
bombing plane that had crashed in
the forest Of Nicholas County. -Four
OF five flyers were dead when located
and the fifth died Of his injuries.
Transferred Here In 1925.
He was transferred to the Wash
ington Office in May, 1925, as infor-
nation director for the District, Mary
land, Virginia and West Virginia In
February, 1885, he received a diamond
service emblem from the company in
recognition Of his IS years service.
Mr.. Hill joined the KiwaE!S Club
at Charleston in 1922, transferring
his membership on coming TO Wash
ington. He had been in charge of
publicity for the local club since COM
ing here.
In 1888 Mr.. Hill was elected gov
ernor of the Capital District of XII
wants Clubs, embracing the District,
Maryland, Virginia and Delaware The
following year he was selected an in
ternational trustee Of Kiwanis Clubs.
Started Boys Club Work.
During his presidency Of the Wash
ington club in 1888 Mr.. Hill started
boys club activities. Prior to that he
had been interested in work for Grip
pied children and helped in the cam
paign before Congress which resulted
in establishment of the Weightman
and Magruder Schools for Crippled
Children in the District.
He was elected director Of the In
ternational Society for Crippled Chill
dren in recognition of his useful work.
Mr.. Hill was a thirty-second de-
gree Scottish Rite Mason and a char
ter member of the Charles Town
Lodge, No. 153. A. F. and A. M.
He is survived by his widow, the
former Marie Nicholson Townsend,
whom he married at Portsmouth, Va,
in 1910; his mother, Mrs. Etha Gar
nett Hill; three sisters, Miss Etha
Rowena Hill and Mrs. Norman l..
Beach. all Of Locust Dale, Va, and
Miss Frances Powell Hill of Wash
ington, and three brothers, Roland
Flint and Henry L. Hill of Orange,
Va, and Douglas Scott Hill of At
lanta, Ga.
Funeral arrangements have not
been completed.