John Taylor Hill

Obituaries

Thursday, 11 February 2021 08:25

Mr. John Taylor “J.T.” Hill, 23, born on Tuesday, July 8, 1997, passed away on Sunday, January 31, 2021. A celebration of life was held on Saturday, February 6, 2021 at Grant Memorial Chapel with Chad Hancock and Kenny Downs speaking. Burial followed in Free Home Cemetery.
Born to John Derek and Karla Taylor Hill, he was a truly special person. J.T. left an impression on everyone he met. To know him was to love him. Always active J.T. loved athletics – both watching and playing. In high school, he played basketball and football and even served as a referee for seven years. When not playing sports, he was watching them. A true fan of UCONN basketball, Indianapolis Colts and everything Auburn, J.T. was a 2016 graduate of the KDS DAR School. He also had a passion for rockets and space, and he was so knowledgeable on anything to do with rockets – past, present and future. He didn’t share his insight with many, but if you were fortunate to hear him talk about the cool things he learned, you knew he was passionate about it.
He shared the same kind of love for NASCAR – the video game and the actual races. He loved going to the races with his mom. Those days were his favorite memories.
He loved so many people and things, but nothing compares to the love he had for his mother and best friend, Karla. She was the biggest supporter throughout his life, and she never let him go at anything alone.
He was genuinely a one-of-a-kind person and was a friend to everybody who crossed his path. He would walk up with that gleaming, goofy grin, and you knew you were about to have the same wholesome encounter you always had with him. Even if it had been days, months or years, he acted with the same loving demeanor. J.T. loved making the ones around him happy. He always knew that tomorrow was going to be a brighter day, and he would never let you forget it, either. J.T. was the best support system because of how he was raised. He was an amazing friend, son, grandson, brother and uncle. He loved so hard, and he will never be forgotten.
J.T. is survived by his father, Derek Hill; mother, Karla (Russ Abrams) Hill; sisters, Sarah (Jarrod) Bryant, Rachael Abrams, Ashley (James) Dicks; nieces, Wylie Kate Bryant, Evelyn Dicks; grandparents, Ann Taylor, James and Bobbie Hill; aunt, Melanie (Tim) Ryan; uncles, Daniel (Amandiy) Hill, Adam (Ashley Hill; cousins, Graham (Tina) Ryan, Rebecca (Eddie) Cloud, Elizabeth Hill, Adam Hill, Kaylin Hill, Chloe Hill, Ethan Hill. He was preceded in death by his grandfather, Billy Jack Taylor; great-grandparents, Wiley Pierson and Dolly Johnson.