Hilma Hill

Hilma Tharpe Hill

Wrens, GA –               Hilma Tharpe Hill, 84, loving wife of 57 years to the late William “Baxter” Hill, entered into her eternal rest Monday afternoon, August 2, 2021 at Westmoreland Care and Rehabilitation Home in Westmoreland, TN.  Services to celebrate her life will be held at 2:00 P.M. Saturday, August 7, 2021 in the James Funeral Home Chapel with the Reverends Russell Davis, Ronnie Smith, and Michael Thigpen officiating.  Interment will follow at Blythe United Methodist Church Cemetery.

The family will receive friends at the funeral home from 12:00 noon – 2:00 P.M. Saturday, August 7, 2021, prior to the funeral service.

Hilma was born in Geneva County, AL and spent most of her childhood and youth in Glendale, outside of Defuniak Springs Fl, where she lived with a big, loving family on “Granny’s Farm”.  The oldest of eight children born to the late Shirley and Albert Tharpe, she loved all of her family and had a special connection with her twin sister, Hilda, who she loved dearly. Hilma graduated from Walton County High School (Defuniak Springs, FL) and as a young woman began working at Monsanto in Pensacola FL.

In the early 60's, Hilma met her lifelong partner, Baxter, and on May 2, 1964 these two "tied the knot" at Olive Baptist Church in Pensacola. The newlyweds eventually moved to Miami FL and Hilma began working in a clerical court position for thirteen judges. In the late 60’s, Hilma and Baxter moved to Wrens GA where they lived for over 50 years, raising two children, and loving and encouraging their four grandchildren.

Hilma enjoyed working at the family business, Hill’s Bar-B-Q, in Wrens, Thomson and Louisville, with Bill, Frances and Baxter. She was known to many people in Jefferson County as the “Peach Pie Lady” because she cooked 200 peach pies in her kitchen every Wednesday for the Bar-B-Q pit.

Hilma loved her family at Wrens Baptist Church, and was a faithful member there for many years. She loved her family, and always had a hug, smile and a kiss for anyone who came into her home. If you entered Miss Hilma’s home, you were automatically part of the family and were invited to pull up a chair to the table and get something to eat. And if you were blessed to be there on her spaghetti night, you wanted to know when that was on the menu again!

Hilma moved to Gallatin TN in March 2020, and spent her last days in Westmoreland TN where she was the aroma of Christ and an absolute blessing to those she met in the last chapter of her sacred journey. “Many daughters have done well, but you excel them all. Charm is deceitful and beauty is passing, but a woman who fears the LORD, she shall be praised. Give her of the fruit of her hands, and let her own works praise her in the gates.” (Proverbs 31)

Hilma is also preceded in death by her siblings, James Tharpe, Dwayne Tharpe, Hilda (her twin) Williams and Vince Tharpe. Those left to cherish her memories include her children, Sheri Denise Hill and William Timothy Hill (Joy); four grandchildren, Bryttani Dawn Sproat, Brandon Michael Hill (Melissa), William Cody Hill and Ian Sproat; three great grandchildren, Evan Norton, William Logan Hill and Georgia Rose Hill; three siblings, Ed Tharpe (Becky), Bo Tharpe (Becky) and Danny Tharpe; “Twin Daughters”, Ann Martin and Kay Land (Alan); extended family, church family and friends.  Serving as pallbearers will be Brandon Michael Hill, William Cody Hill, Ian Sproat, Ryan Walden, Scott Tiner and Chuck Jones.

The family respectfully requests that in lieu of flowers a monetary gift in honor of Hilma T. Hill be made to her church family: Wrens Baptist Church, 500 N Main St, Wrens GA 30833.

The family of Hilma would like to thank all of the professional healthcare workers and families at Brookdale Assisted Living (Gallatin TN) and Wesmoreland Care and Rehab (Westmoreland TN). We are grateful for your love and compassionate care for Hilma and Baxter over the past two years. Your love, professionalism, tenacity, and sacrifice during this COVID-19 pandemic is not forgotten. God bless you all.