Advertisement
Raymond Hill passed away peacefully on Tuesday, September 29, 2026, leaving behind a life richly lived and well-played—both on and off the golf course.A proud veteran, Ray honorably served his country in the United States Navy while stationed in the Philippines. Upon returning to civilian life, he became a local entrepreneur, owning and operating a carpet business. A true original, he made local history in Rochester, New York, by putting up the city’s very first psychedelic billboard.
Raymond was a man of simple pleasures, sharp wit, and unforgettable signature sayings. He was an avid golfer and loved tuning in to watch golf, football, and the daily news. He looked forward to going out for breakfast and lunch with friends or family, but was just as happy at home enjoying his favorite culinary staples: TV dinners, Walmart pies, sauerkraut, meatloaf, sardines, pickled beets, and canned soups. He loved recounting his routine shopping trips to Walmart and Aldi, and before his nursing home placement, he had a standing nightly order for "the ice cream truck" (Sara) to deliver his favorite chocolate ice cream. Though he swore up and down that he didn't like the family dogs, Mabel and Max, he was repeatedly caught calling them over to secretly feed them treats under the table.
Family was everything to Ray. He had a special way of showing he cared: while he might not have remembered what he ate for breakfast earlier in the day, he never forgot a holiday or a birthday, taking immense joy in personally picking out cards for every occasion. He loved picking fun at his sons Jeff, Ray, Steve, and George and absolutely adored his daughter, Laurie. Out of everything Raymond loved to talk about—his Navy days, his billboard, his Walmart deals, or his golf game—his absolute favorite topic of conversation was his grandchildren. They were the center of his world, his greatest joy, and his biggest source of pride. He loved getting his haircut by granddaughter Emily and stubbornly refused to let anyone touch his hair except her. In the early days of her hair-cutting career, rather than getting his trim done conveniently at home, he insisted on driving all the way up to the barbershop to sit in her chair just to make sure it looked like she was busy with paying customers.
Raymond's smile and unique humor will be deeply missed by all who had the privilege of knowing him. Per his wishes, there were no prior calling hours. In his honor, a round of golf shall be played, and we plan to celebrate his life with a picnic. We hope you will join us, Saturday November 14th, 12-4pm at the Mendon Ponds Park East Lodge.
Advertisement
Event venue
Mendon Ponds County Park, 95 Douglas Rd,Rochester,NY,United States
Tickets
Concerts, fests, parties, meetups — all the happenings, one place.