William “Bill” Hill

STANDISH – William “Bill” Hill of Standish, died on May 21, 2022, at Gosnell House in Scarborough.

He was born on Dec. 25, 1945, in Lewiston, to parents Lemuel Victor Hill and Emily Madora (Butcher) Hill. He grew up in Lisbon Falls graduating from Lisbon High School in 1964. He attended the University of Maine, Orono, graduating with a B.A. in English, as well as attending UMO graduate school. Subsequently, he attended Berklee College of Music in Boston, majoring in performance guitar. During those years, he played guitar in a large function band and as a part of a classical guitar duo with his lifelong friend, Steve Rapson.

He and his wife, Maurie (Smith) Hill were married in 1968 and celebrated 54 years together.

After living in both Boston, Mass. and Seattle, Wash., he returned with his wife to Portland. Subsequently, commuting to Boston (weekly), he taught English and Literature at Berklee College for 23 years. While teaching at Berklee College, he helped to organize the Berklee faculty into a union affiliated with the American Federation of Teachers. He reflected proudly on his role as Secretary to the Berklee Faculty Union over eight contract negotiations.

Bill took a medical retirement from teaching at Berklee after being diagnosed with Multiple Myeloma and subsequently receiving a stem cell transplant at Dana Farber Cancer Center.

Despite experiencing complications related to therapy to keep Multiple Myeloma at bay, he never wavered in his wish to remain on this earth as long as reasonably possible.

He enjoyed travel, hiking, visiting new places, and reflecting on life on this planet. He was always politically aware, reading, discussing new ideas and evolving in his beliefs. Most of all, he enjoyed music, time with friends and family and playing guitar.

He leaves his wife, Maurie, of Standish; his sister, Linda Hill Zweigoron (Mike Z) of South Portland; and niece, Caitlin Emily Ross of Burlington, N.C. He also leaves life long friends, Kay and Ken Harkins of Saluda, N.C.

In addition, he leaves brothers-in-law Jack Smith (Laurel), South Freeport, Jeffrey Smith (Terry), Ellsworth, sisters-in-law Julie Klehn (Ken), of Standish, Jennifer Smith, of Hiram, and Melinda Remington (Tom), of Bethel. He also leaves many other Smith clan nieces and nephews and great-nieces and nephews in Maine, Maryland, Washington, Georgia, Florida, Massachusetts and North Carolina.

His ashes are interred at Brooklawn Cemetery, Portland. A Celebration of Life is planned for later this summer.

In closing, we will deeply miss Bill’s warm smile, hearty laugh, sense of humor, undying loyalty and sound judgment.

As a special note, he wanted to thank the medical team that helped him immeasurably through the years to do the things he wanted to do: Marjorie Boyd, MD, Ron Cody, DMD, John Erickson, MD and Edmund Sears, MD.

Northern Lights Palliative Care Team, Gosnell House, his family and friends assisted in his final journey.