John "Ziggy" H. Hill

John Harold ‘Ziggy’Hill was born on November 30, 1948 in Cleveland, Ohio to Harold Swift and Norma Jean Hill. As a young boy, Ziggy matriculated through the Cleveland public school system and graduated from John F. Kennedy High School. Believing there was more, he went on to pursue his collegiate education at Kent State University.

Drafted into the U.S. Army in 1965, Ziggy served with honor during the Vietnam War. In 1975, Ziggy met and fell in love with the love of his life JoAnn Smith Hill, with whom he shared a lifetime of love and marriage. Together, they raised three sons: Rongea, Saul, and Jermaine, who were the pride and joy of Ziggy’s life.

After his military service, he continued to exemplify hard work and dedication through a career that included working in food services at Lackland Air Force Base and as a construction worker with The Zachry Company. Ziggy was also a passionate volunteer basketball coach at the Boys & Girls Club in San Antonio, where he became a role model and mentor to countless young people.

Ziggy lived life with remarkable authenticity. What you saw was what you got—an honest, loving, and devoted man who loved God and his family. He was a man of faith and a devoted longtime member of Antioch Missionary Baptist Church, where he served faithfully as a Sunday School student and in the Couples Greeters Ministry under the leadership of the late Reverend Dr. E. Thurman Walker and presently under Reverend Dr. Kenneth Kemp. He believed in living right with the Lord and treated others with respect, sincerity, and understanding. His grounded nature and self-assured spirit made him a constant presence of warmth and reliability.

In all he did, Ziggy touched lives deeply, inspiring others to live genuinely. He truly believed in the power of community and giving back, whether through his church, his work, or his family.

John Harold “Ziggy” Hill, a beloved husband, father, brother, and friend, passed away peacefully on December 20, 2024, at the age of 76. He is proceeded in death by his father, Harold Swift; mother, Norma Jean Hill; and sister, Natalie Hill.

He leaves behind a legacy that will forever be treasured by his loving wife of nearly 50 years, JoAnne Hill of San Antonio, Texas; sons, Rongea Hill (Sarah) of Irving, Texas, Saul Thomas (Kenya) of Houston, Texas, and Jermaine Hill (Tomiko) of San Antonio, Texas; a life-long brother and best friend, Skip Wilson of San Antonio; beloved relatives Robert Gildersleeve and Jimmy Gildersleeve; and a very large host of cherished nieces, nephews, cousins, friends and extended family.