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This is the video displayed at Richard Hill's memorial. Darnell, his wife has not put an obituary in the paper yet. She is eventually going to put one in the Gainesville Sun, since they lived here for over 35 years, with Ric working for IFAS during that time. I hope this satisfied any doubt about his death.
http://www.dahlonegafuneralhome.com/memsol.cgi?user_id=2085924 http://www.dahlonegafuneralhome.com/memsol.cgi?user_id=2085924
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James McKeich (1967)
As most of you know, Richard Hill was my best friend. I have know Ric since 10th grade. We met in Ms.Dix's biology class. Ric sat behind me in the last row. He was the funniest person I have ever known. He always had a smile on his face. At Christmas, Ric put two ornaments, red and green, on the skeleton that was in the back of the room. He put them on the male skeleton where his private parts should be. Everyone in the room cracked up, except Ms. Dix. On another occasion, Ric and I skipped school and went to Singer Island to go surfing. As we were lying down,Mickey Neal showed up. Now he was Dean of boys, as well as the track coach. Ric was on the track team,so we didn't get in trouble. At last year's 50th Reunion I walked up to Mickey Neal and said,you probably don't remember me, but I'm sure you remember Ric Hill. And he said, Jim, I remember you and Ric skipping school. I was astonished and figured it was because of Ric's presence and not mind. After school, Ric we t into the Marines and went to Vietnam.He served two tours (10 months each). He was wounded but made it back home. In 1972 he moved up to Gainesville. He intended to go to Santa Fe Community College. But Ric was not meant to go to school. So he dropped out and got a job at IFAS,the agricultural part of UF. He worked for over 35 years and built himself a good life. He met his wife,Darrell and they were married in 1976. The following year, they had a girl, Rickie Lee. But all was not good all the time. The demons of Vietnam had never left him. In 2008, they moved to Dahlonega, Georgia. Again, the demons returned, especially in the last three years. Finally on March 23rd, he had a heart attack and died. Now the demons can't bother him anymore. R.I.P. Richard Hill God bless for letting me know you.