Willie Dennis {Billie} Hill

Mrs. Willie Dennis Hill, known as Billie, 93, of Homewood at Crumland Farms, Frederick, MD, died Tuesday, May 12, 2009. Her husband, Clyffeton William Hill, Jr., known as Clyff, died February 9, 1997.

Surviving are two sons, Clyffeton William Hill, III, and wife Lauren of Shenandoah Junction, WVa, and Edmund Dennis Hill and wife Merrill of Lexington, KY; four grandchildren, Geoffrey S. Hill and wife Jill, Matthew D. Hill, Mallory J. Hill and John W. Hill; two great grandchildren, Allondra and Oscar Hill. She was preceded in death by her brother, Blumer Horace Dennis, Jr.

Billie was born October 15, 1915 near Waresville in Heard County, Georgia. She was the daughter of the late Blumer Horace Dennis and Dora Cooper Dennis.

Billie grew up in LaFayette, Georgia, where she graduated from high school with honors. After working for several years in the textile industry, she continued her education on a part-time basis and began work as a social worker for the National Youth Administration. She also served as Youth Coordinator for the Walker County Civilian Defense in 1941-1942. As a youth, Billie was active in the Presbyterian Church as a Sunday School teacher, president of the local and district Presbyterian Youth, and served as the first female president of the Presbyterian Youth of Synod of Georgia. In 1941, she represented the Presbyterian Youth of Georgia at the first interracial/interfaith conference for youth ever held south of the Mason-Dixon Line, at Black Mountain College in North Carolina.

Billie moved to Florida in late 1942 where she was Office Manager for Brown Oil & Chemical Company. She resigned in 1948 to marry Clyff and to raise a family. Her first son, Clyff III, was born in 1950 and second son, Dennis, followed in 1952.

Billie and Clyff moved several times during Clyff's career as a Chemical Engineer before settling in Frederick, Maryland, in 1962. In addition to her devotion as homemaker and mother, she resumed study and action in her favorite subject: U.S. International relations. She was active in the American Academy of Political and Social Science, the Center for the study of Democratic Institutions, the United Nations Association, the American Civil Liberties Union, the Baltimore Council of Foreign Affairs, the Great Decisions program of the Foreign Policy Association, and her beloved League of Women Voters.

As a member of the League for over 40 years, she chaired the Committee on International Relations for many years beginning in 1964. She also directed studies on U.S. Foreign Development and Military Aid, Trade, the United Nations, International Institutions and National Security. Billie was awarded a Citation of Merit by the national League of women Voters in 1984 for her work through the years on foreign policy issues.

After retiring to Homewood at Crumland Farms of Frederick in 1999, Billie remained active as co-editor of the Assisted Living facility newsletter. She continued her study of international relations and led discussion groups of Homewood residents on foreign policy and current news topics.

Visitation: See above information

Services: The family will receive friends on Friday, May 15th, 2009 from 12 noon until the time of services at 2:00 PM at the Stauffer Funeral Home, 1621 Opossumtown Pike, Frederick, MD. Burial will follow in Resthaven Memorial Gardens.