Dr. Grace Lucile Garrison Hill

Dr. Grace Lucile Garrison Hill, 91, died peacefully on Sunday, May 1, 2022 in her home, surrounded by her loving family. Born September 26, 1930, in Gastonia, N.C. at Garrison General Hospital, she was the daughter of Lillian Tatum Garrison and William Moffatt Garrison.  Having graduated from Gastonia High School, she received her B.A. from Erskine College where she was president of the student body and class valedictorian. Early in her career, she taught in the public schools of Clinton, S.C., in the former Parker school district in Greenville (where she taught handicapped and homebound students), and at Augusta Circle. 

After earning her M.A. from Furman, she served as a school psychologist for the Greenville School District for many years. She obtained her Ph.D. in Educational Psychology from U.S.C. in 1980, and thereafter worked as an adjunct professor teaching educational psychology and human growth and development in the master's and undergraduate programs at Furman and U.S.C. Upstate. She helped organize Camperdown Academy and served as its first Executive Director.
She was a former member of the Erskine College Board of Trustees. She received the Sullivan Award, and the Chairman’s Award for Distinguished alumni from Erskine, and in 1999  delivered the Francis Cardwell Lecture to the student body.
  
She was member of many educational organizations, and served as president of the Carolinas Branch of the Orton Dyslexia Society. She also served on the national board of the Jean Piaget Society of Philadelphia, PA.and as editor of the newsletter. Governor Riley appointed her to the board of the former S.C. Children’s Bureau. 
She was a member of Greenville ARP Church, where she served as President of Women of the Church, and taught Sunday school for many years. 
She was a member of the Ex Libris book club, the Huguenot Society, and served on the boards of the YWCA and the Dunlap Orphanage. Dr. Hill received many awards, including the Order of the Jessamine, the 2009 Amy Y. Stubbs Women of Achievement Award from the YWCA, and the 2011 Jaguar Award from Camperdown Academy.
    
She was preceded in death by her husband of 57 years, Leo H. Hill. 

Grace was a beautiful spirit and had a beautiful mind. She used her forceful intellect and engaging personality to champion education, particularly for the disadvantaged and non-traditional. She and Leo shared a remarkable, heartwarming partnership that touched many lives and reflected their shared values of community and public service.   A loving mother and grandmother, she leaves a legacy of boundless curiosity, gentle wit, abiding faith, genuine empathy, and a servant’s heart.

She is survived by her children, Lillian Lucile Hill Watson (Bob), Leo Howard Hill, Jr. (Anne), and David Garrison “Gary” Hill; her grandchildren, Andrew Garrison Pinto, Caroline Grace Pinto, James Durham Hill, Lucille Tatum Hill, Henry Leo Hill, Garrison Page Hill, and John Drake Hill; and her great-grandchild, Louise Harrison Pinto.

Memorial services will be held at 2:00 p.m. Friday, May 6, 2022 at Greenville ARP Church, 741 Cleveland Street, Greenville, SC 29601. A private graveside service will be held at Woodlawn Memorial Park in Greenville prior to the service.

The family will receive friends at Dr. Hill's home from 5:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. Thursday, May 5, 2022.

Memorials may be made to the Grace L. Hill Scholarship at Furman University, 3300 Poinsett Highway, Greenville, SC 29613,  Attn: Development Office.

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