Mildred Hill

Mildred Sink Hill, 84, passed away peacefully on May 5, 2016, in the comfort of her own home and in the care of family, her loving caregivers and Hospice of Davidson County. Mildred Ann Sink was born Dec. 5, 1931, the younger daughter of John Flay Sink and Nora Alma Sink. Her older sister, Hilda Virginia, died in 1936. She was the seventh generation of her family to be born on this site, a land grant from Lord Granville. All were members of Pilgrim Lutheran Church. She graduated from Welcome High School in 1950 where she was valedictorian of her class. She entered Catawba College on a scholarship and graduated with honors three years later with a bachelor's degree in music education. On June 28, 1953, she married Edward Gray Hill, also of Lexington. She began her teaching career that fall at Wakelon High in Zebulon, N.C. At the end of the school year, they returned to Lexington; her husband entered the military and she taught in Guilford County schools. She came to the Davidson County schools the following year and taught at Ledford, Midway, Welcome and North Davidson middle schools. She retired in 1985 with 31 years of classroom teaching. During her younger years, she went to UNC-Chapel Hill where she added English as a second major. After her retirement, she volunteered for seven years teaching English as a second language to Cambodian refugees in Lexington city schools, totaling 38 years as a teacher. Known as a gentle motivator by her many students, she was a member of the Gamma Alpha chapter of Delta Kappa Gamma professional honorary society of women educators. She was active in her church and taught Sunday school, served as superintendent of the children’s department, directed the youth choir and served as church organist. Their marriage of 63 years was blessed with three children: Dr. Edward G. Hill, Jr. (Ann) of Winston-Salem, John Allen Hill (Sharmin) of Columbia, S.C., and Ann Hill Stephens (John) of Orlando, Fla.; five grandchildren: Edward Gray Hill III of Lexington, Anna Jarrett Hill of Nashville, Tenn., John Robert (Jay) Hill of Columbia, S.C., and Meredith Ann Stephens and John Kenneth (Jake) Stephens III, both of Orlando, Fla. She was preceded in death by her parents, her sister and a granddaughter, Elyssa Grace Hill. The family will receive friends 6-8 p.m., Saturday, May 14, at Davidson Funeral Home, 301 North Main Street, Lexington. Funeral services will be at 2 p.m. Sunday, May 15, at Pilgrim Lutheran Church, 823 Ridge Road, Lexington. Burial will follow in the church cemetery. The family would like to thank her three wonderful caregivers for the love and devotion shown to her during the past year. They are also grateful to Hospice of Davidson County. In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts may be made to Pilgrim Lutheran Church (823 Ridge Rd. Lexington, NC 27295) or Hospice of Davidson County (200 Hospice Way, Lexington, NC 27292).