Kenneth Poe Funeral Services

December 8, 2023

CHARLOTTE - Dr. Eric S. Hill, 98, beloved husband, father and grandpa passed away on December 8, 2023. 

Eric was born to the late Eliza and Arthur Hill on February 12, 1925, in Liverpool, England. He grew up in Liverpool and attended Quarry Bank School.  At a young age, Eric served in the British Royal Navy and completed his initial training at the land-based HMS Ganges facility.  He was awarded a bosuns whistle for scoring the highest mark on the math, navigational, and signal exams. He was later being trained to be a navy pilot and navigator and he did his naval aviation training in Kokomo, Indiana.  He was in Portsmouth, England when D-Day began in 1944.  Fortunately for him, the war ended before he flew any combat missions.

After the war, Eric obtained a Ph.D. in Chemistry in 1955 from the University of Liverpool.  While studying at university he made time to play golf and was captain of the university golf team.  It was there that he met the love of his life Jean Dale, and they were married in 1955.

When they were first married, Jean and Eric lived in Harrogate, England and then moved to Saltburn-by-the-Sea where they welcomed their first and second sons David and Peter.  Eric’s work then took him to North Carolina where he became Vice-President of Fiber Industries Inc. and served on the Board of Directors.  This is also when they welcomed their third son Michael.  Eric was known for his technical expertise and was also an active team builder in the company where he organized the annual “Hill Cup” golf tournament among the production plants.  One of his biggest achievements was helping to develop polyester fibers that go into reinforcing tires that everyone across the world uses today.  Eric made many lifelong friends at work that became like family.

Aside from his academic and professional achievements, his biggest joy was raising and enjoying time with his family.  He enjoyed skiing and taking his family on annual trips out west to ski the big mountains of Colorado and Utah.  He was also a mountain climber (climbing the highest peak in Europe) and keen golfer and enjoyed being a member of Carmel Country Club.   He was also passionate about music and opera and was a longtime supporter of the Charlotte Symphony.  He even took a job in Milan, Italy for a few years mainly so he could enjoy the music, art, and most of all the opera.

Eric was blessed with eight wonderful grandchildren and five great-grandchildren and enjoyed many hikes, picnics, and bedtime stories with them.  The family would like to thank the staff at Visiting Angels for their support during his final months and days.  He will be dearly missed.

Eric is survived by his wife Jean, and his sons Peter and wife Donna of Houston, TX, and Michael and wife Cristina of Saskatoon, Canada, as well as his daughter-in-law Darcy of Milwaukee, WI.   

In addition to his parents, he was predeceased by his eldest son David.

Funeral services will be private. Please make a tribute donation to either the Salvation Army of Charlotte or the Nature Conservancy in Eric’s honor.

Arrangements are in the care of Kenneth W. Poe Funeral and Cremation Service, 1321 Berkeley Avenue, Charlotte, NC  28204, (704)641-7606.  Online condolences may be shared at www.kennethpoeservices.com.