George R. Hill III
Encyclopedia
George Richard Hill III (November 24, 1921 – April 22, 2001) was an American
chemist
and a world authority on coal
. In his retirement, Hill was a general authority
of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) from 1987 to 1992.
Hill was born in Ogden
, Utah
to George R. Hill, Jr.
and Elizabeth McKay. Both his parents were deans of colleges at the Utah State University
. Hill's uncle was David O. McKay
, ninth president of the LDS Church.
Hill earned a degree in chemistry
from Brigham Young University
and went on to earn a doctorate at Cornell University
in 1946. In 1951, the University of Utah
invited Hill to start the school's Department of Fuels Engineering. From 1966 to 1972, Hill also served as the dean of the College of Mines and Mineral Industries at the University of Utah. In 1972, he was appointed the head of the Office of Coal Research in the United States Department of the Interior
. In 1977, he returned to the University of Utah as the Envirotech Professor of Chemical Engineering. Hill published over one hundred papers in academic journals and was the recipient of the Henry H. Storch Award from by the American Chemical Society
. He also received an honorary doctorate degree from Brigham Young University.
In the LDS Church, prior to his call as a general authority
, Hill was a bishop three times and a Regional Representative of the Twelve Apostles. From 1967 to 1971, Hill was a member of the general superintendency of the Young Men's Mutual Improvement Association of the LDS Church, where he served under G. Carlos Smith
and W. Jay Eldredge
. In 1987, he became a member of the church's First Quorum of the Seventy. In 1989, he was transferred into the newly-created Second Quorum of the Seventy, and held this position until he was released in 1992. During his tenure, Hill served in the presidencies of the Philippines
/Micronesia
and the Utah South Areas
of the church.
Hill had a life-long involvement with the Boy Scouts of America
and was awarded the Silver Buffalo Award
from the Boy Scouts. He has also received the Silver Beaver
and Silver Antelope Award
s.
Hill was married to Melba Parker and was the father of seven children. He died of cancer in Salt Lake City.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
chemist
Chemist
A chemist is a scientist trained in the study of chemistry. Chemists study the composition of matter and its properties such as density and acidity. Chemists carefully describe the properties they study in terms of quantities, with detail on the level of molecules and their component atoms...
and a world authority on coal
Coal
Coal is a combustible black or brownish-black sedimentary rock usually occurring in rock strata in layers or veins called coal beds or coal seams. The harder forms, such as anthracite coal, can be regarded as metamorphic rock because of later exposure to elevated temperature and pressure...
. In his retirement, Hill was a general authority
General authority
In The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , a general authority is a member of certain leadership organizations who are given administrative and ecclesiastical authority over the church...
of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) from 1987 to 1992.
Hill was born in Ogden
Ogden, Utah
Ogden is a city in Weber County, Utah, United States. Ogden serves as the county seat of Weber County. The population was 82,825 according to the 2010 Census. The city served as a major railway hub through much of its history, and still handles a great deal of freight rail traffic which makes it a...
, Utah
Utah
Utah is a state in the Western United States. It was the 45th state to join the Union, on January 4, 1896. Approximately 80% of Utah's 2,763,885 people live along the Wasatch Front, centering on Salt Lake City. This leaves vast expanses of the state nearly uninhabited, making the population the...
to George R. Hill, Jr.
George R. Hill
George Richard Hill, Jr. was an American educational administrator and was the seventh general superintendent of the Sunday School organization of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 1949 to 1966...
and Elizabeth McKay. Both his parents were deans of colleges at the Utah State University
Utah State University
Utah State University is a public university located in Logan, Utah. It is a land-grant and space-grant institution and is accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities....
. Hill's uncle was David O. McKay
David O. McKay
David Oman McKay was the ninth president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , serving from 1951 until his death. Ordained an apostle and member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles in 1906, McKay was a general authority for nearly 64 years, longer than anyone else in LDS Church...
, ninth president of the LDS Church.
Hill earned a degree in chemistry
Chemistry
Chemistry is the science of matter, especially its chemical reactions, but also its composition, structure and properties. Chemistry is concerned with atoms and their interactions with other atoms, and particularly with the properties of chemical bonds....
from Brigham Young University
Brigham Young University
Brigham Young University is a private university located in Provo, Utah. It is owned and operated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , and is the United States' largest religious university and third-largest private university.Approximately 98% of the university's 34,000 students...
and went on to earn a doctorate at Cornell University
Cornell University
Cornell University is an Ivy League university located in Ithaca, New York, United States. It is a private land-grant university, receiving annual funding from the State of New York for certain educational missions...
in 1946. In 1951, the University of Utah
University of Utah
The University of Utah, also known as the U or the U of U, is a public, coeducational research university in Salt Lake City, Utah, United States. The university was established in 1850 as the University of Deseret by the General Assembly of the provisional State of Deseret, making it Utah's oldest...
invited Hill to start the school's Department of Fuels Engineering. From 1966 to 1972, Hill also served as the dean of the College of Mines and Mineral Industries at the University of Utah. In 1972, he was appointed the head of the Office of Coal Research in the United States Department of the Interior
United States Department of the Interior
The United States Department of the Interior is the United States federal executive department of the U.S. government responsible for the management and conservation of most federal land and natural resources, and the administration of programs relating to Native Americans, Alaska Natives, Native...
. In 1977, he returned to the University of Utah as the Envirotech Professor of Chemical Engineering. Hill published over one hundred papers in academic journals and was the recipient of the Henry H. Storch Award from by the American Chemical Society
American Chemical Society
The American Chemical Society is a scientific society based in the United States that supports scientific inquiry in the field of chemistry. Founded in 1876 at New York University, the ACS currently has more than 161,000 members at all degree-levels and in all fields of chemistry, chemical...
. He also received an honorary doctorate degree from Brigham Young University.
In the LDS Church, prior to his call as a general authority
General authority
In The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , a general authority is a member of certain leadership organizations who are given administrative and ecclesiastical authority over the church...
, Hill was a bishop three times and a Regional Representative of the Twelve Apostles. From 1967 to 1971, Hill was a member of the general superintendency of the Young Men's Mutual Improvement Association of the LDS Church, where he served under G. Carlos Smith
G. Carlos Smith
George Carlos Smith Jr. was the eleventh general superintendent of the Young Men's Mutual Improvement Association of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , serving from 1962 to 1969.-Biography:...
and W. Jay Eldredge
W. Jay Eldredge
Walter Joshua "Jay" Eldredge Jr. was the thirteenth general superintendent of the Young Men's Mutual Improvement Association of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 1969 to 1972.-Biography:...
. In 1987, he became a member of the church's First Quorum of the Seventy. In 1989, he was transferred into the newly-created Second Quorum of the Seventy, and held this position until he was released in 1992. During his tenure, Hill served in the presidencies of the Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
/Micronesia
Micronesia
Micronesia is a subregion of Oceania, comprising thousands of small islands in the western Pacific Ocean. It is distinct from Melanesia to the south, and Polynesia to the east. The Philippines lie to the west, and Indonesia to the southwest....
and the Utah South Areas
Area (LDS Church)
An area is an administrative unit of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, which typically is composed of multiple stakes and missions...
of the church.
Hill had a life-long involvement with the Boy Scouts of America
Boy Scouts of America
The Boy Scouts of America is one of the largest youth organizations in the United States, with over 4.5 million youth members in its age-related divisions...
and was awarded the Silver Buffalo Award
Silver Buffalo Award
The Silver Buffalo Award is the national-level distinguished service award of the Boy Scouts of America. It is presented for noteworthy and extraordinary service to youth on a national basis, either as part of, or independent of the Scouting program...
from the Boy Scouts. He has also received the Silver Beaver
Silver Beaver Award
The Silver Beaver Award is the council-level distinguished service award of the Boy Scouts of America. Recipients of this award are registered adult leaders who have made an impact on the lives of youth through service given to the council...
and Silver Antelope Award
Silver Antelope Award
The Silver Antelope Award is the regional-level distinguished service award of the Boy Scouts of America and recognizes outstanding service to young people within one of the four regions of the BSA...
s.
Hill was married to Melba Parker and was the father of seven children. He died of cancer in Salt Lake City.
External links
- Grampa Bill's G.A. Pages: George R. Hill III
- Kent Larson, George R. Hill III, former GA and Scientist, dead at 79, Mormon News, 2001-04-21.