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Deacon Eroll Lee Hill, son of the late Dupree and Elsie Hill, was born on February 18, 1949 in Beaufort County, North Carolina. Eroll was birthed using forceps, which caused a birth defect that was later diagnosed as cerebral palsy. In the early stages of his life, Eroll’s parents were told he would be confined to a wheelchair and lack independent skills such as walking, working and living without assistance. In the spirit of great faith, his parents decided to believe in and stand firm on the scriptures and principles of God’s Word. One specific scripture they believed in was Matthew 17:21 (faith, prayer and fasting). Their prayers and belief in Eroll’s eventual independence was certainly a process, but these efforts paid off as he ultimately became self-sufficient: getting out of his wheelchair, walking, driving, living independently and so much more! This is the miraculous testimony of his life. Eroll lived in Harlem, NY at a very early age. Accepting the Lord Jesus Christ and baptized on October 8, 1967, he became a faithful member of New Pilgrim Baptist Church and was homeschooled during his early elementary years. When he entered middle school, his parents decided to send him in person and he took special transportation to junior high. Upon reaching high school, however, Eroll made the decision to take the New York City subway to school each day. He graduated high school with honors and received the United States President’s Award for Educational Excellence. Eroll attended the Borough of Manhattan Community College and earned his associate degree in applied services, majoring in accounting. In September 1983, he joined Walker Memorial Baptist Church in the Bronx, NY. Eroll really loved the Lord and served in several capacities: brotherhood, bible study, Sunday worship service, daily prayer call etc. He never ceased to show an active interest in supporting various ministries, projects and programs, and one of his proudest moments occurred when Pastor Bush asked him to join the Diaconate Ministry. He studied diligently for the length of time assigned and was ordained as a deacon on October 29, 2000. Eroll worked for 37 years for ADAPT, formerly United Cerebral Palsy (UCP). Again defying all odds, he drove independently to work in Manhattan from the Bronx each day. Eroll loved his job and rarely missed any time, and his co-workers often joked with the family that he would head into work despite the fiercest rain and snowstorms. His work ethic and dedication to his job earned him the special honor (on behalf of the City of New York) of parking directly in front of the UCP building. Eroll enjoyed his work at UCP and helping other employees productively utilize their benefits. His work ethic modeled the principle of Philippians 2:14: doing all things without complaining nor disputing to his family, friends, and all who interacted with him. After the tragedy of 9/11, his family urged him to stop driving due to widespread construction in the area. Eroll then utilized Access-A-Ride until he retired in 2015. Eroll loved his family! Beyond his own successes, he was also proud of the many accomplishments of his family: loving them collectively and each one having a special place in his heart. He considered every family member to be unique in his or her own way. He was proud of specific accomplishments which included Tonella’s and Quentin’s walk in the ministry (L.I.T.) and how she worked to earn her degree; Blair’s work to earn her PhD degree and become the Founder/CEO of her own company, and her service in ministry; Franklin’s work to earn a degree and speak two languages (Japanese and Spanish); Natasha’s work to earn her graduate degree; Christopher’s work to earn his degree and devotion as a father and husband. He was so very proud of their high scholastic achievement and academic accomplishments. Eroll also loved taking care of his mother, Elsie Hill, and enjoyed driving her to the beautician, church, and many appointments. He cared for her until her death in 2015. Thanks to the love and selfless dedication of his sister Zelda and brother-in-law John, Eroll was always loved and cared for and often spoke of the many accomplishments of his family during friendly interactions at work. Eroll loved family vacations! He enjoyed driving (road trips) to North Carolina, about which he’d laugh while sharing stories about his sister Zelda driving two hours while he took the wheel for seven. During road trips Eroll would reminisce about “the old times” when his parents and siblings would travel to North Carolina on the Trailway bus for 12 hours while carrying a shoe box containing cake and chicken. He was always excited to see all his cousins and family members on these NC trips. His closest friends were his brother Bruce Hill and cousin Deacon Reginald Willis, and Eroll loved to joke and laugh with them both. He also loved to fish, bowl, watch sports and westerns and travel to various places (during which he enjoyed flying the “friendly skies”). Eroll went on countless trips with his family and often went fishing with his dad and brother Bruce, enjoying the time they spent together. His favorite sports teams were the NY Yankees, NY Knicks and NY Giants. Eroll also enjoyed listening to various genres of music, particularly gospel, Motown hits and jazz. He was a very smart dresser and enjoyed looking his best for all occasions. He loved to dine at different restaurants and taste various cuisines, earning him the affectionate nickname “Mikey” from his brother-in-law John. Eroll especially loved the cooking of his sister Zelda, cousin Patricia and neighbor Mrs. Clara Jones (along with cakes baked by his friend Julie H. Thrower). Eroll was able to move past his former shortcomings due to his faith, which increased as he continued to forge forward and defy the odds. Deacon Hill lived a blessed life and believed in praise! He always said that “when the praises went up, blessings came down” and utilized his “ability” to demonstrate God’s unwavering promises of goodness and mercy. He was kind-hearted and brought joy to those who knew him. Eroll lived a blessed life and departed this world on Thursday, March 14, 2024. Amongst the host of saints in the assembly of God, Deacon Eroll Hill joins his father the late Deacon Dupree Hill, mother, Elsie Naomi Hill and sister, Ella Louise Sheila Walker in glory. Eroll leaves behind the following family members to cherish his life, memory and legacy, sister, Deacon Zelda Stephanie; brother, Bruce Edward; sister, Eliza Elizabeth; brothers-in-law, John E. Robinson and Samuel Walker; sister-in-law, Debra Hill, nieces and nephews, Tonella S. Carse (Quentin), Blair K. Price (Rondelle), Franklin Walker, Natasha Young (David) and Christopher Walker (Marisa); great-nieces, Nyra Ellaine, Jazmine Veralee and Swoon Promise; great-nephew, Rondelle Maurice II; beloved caregiver, Karen Ampadu (Brenda); special friend, Eva Marsh, Walker Memorial family and friends; a host of nieces, nephews and special cousins and relatives. Lovingly submitted, Eroll’s Family

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Deacon Eroll Lee Hill

February 18, 1949 - March 14, 2024