Coach Hill Left Legacy in Family, Students

Derrell V. Hill went to be with the Lord on Sunday, Sept. 24, 2017. He was born October 16, 1948 in Hammond. He was a member of Zoar Baptist Church, where he served as a Sunday School teacher and deacon.

Derrell Hill was a 1966 graduate of Woodlawn High School and a graduate of LSU. He was a principal, coach, and teacher in East Baton Rouge Parish for many years and was a godly influence to many. He served as Superintendent and principal of Parkview Baptist School, assistant principal of Central Private and Belaire High Schools, and principal of Glen Oaks Middle School.

Coach Hill had a long, successful career in coaching many sports. He began his coaching career at Prescott Middle school and was a coach at Woodlawn and Belaire high schools. He was a former head football coach and Athletic Director at Central High School.

Derrell loved studying God’s word, flowers, gardening, and football, but his true joy was spending time with his grandchildren.

Funeral services were held at Zoar Baptist Church in Central on Wednesday September 27, 2017 conducted by Rev. Jared Hill and Dr. Kevin Hand. Burial followed at Zoar Baptist Cemetery. He is survived by his wife of 47 years, Lola Hutchinson Hill; sons and daughters-in-law Jared and Michelle Hill, and Jeremy and Jessica Hill; grandchildren Emma, Owen, John Ryan, Janie, Cohen, and Chloe Hill; parents V.J. and Evell Hill; brothers and sisters-in-law Curtis and Patricia Hill, Darris and Sharon Hill, and Tim Hill; and numerous aunts, uncles, cousins, nephews, and nieces. The family would like to extend a special thanks to Patricia Hill, Chris and Sonya Hutchinson, and the staff of Carpenter House for the love and care given to the family during this difficult time. Please share your condolences at www.sealefuneral.com.

Derrell spent his childhood on Bayou Barbary Road in Livingston Parish with cousins his age and his brother Curtis, enjoying the rural life and helping his father V.J. Hill with farming. His family later moved to Woodlawn in Baton Rouge where the four boys — Derrell, Curtis, Darris and Tim — grew up right across the street from Woodlawn High School. His mother Evell had a beauty shop and his father V.J. worked at Kleinpeter Dairy. Derrell attended LSU where he met a Central girl, Lola Hutchinson. They were married in

1970 and built their home in Central in 1978. They raised two sons, Jared and Jeremy, of whom they were so proud. Derrell and Lola, a music teacher, graduated in education and spent their lives teaching and loving students in Central, Baton Rouge, and surrounding communities.

Derrell’s career in education and coaching allowed him to be a positive influence in many lives. There are so many students and teachers who were touched and greatly influenced by his life.

Supt. Wes Watts of West Baton Rouge Parish Schools and a former student athlete related his memory of Central High’s Coach Hill mentioning the Bible story of David and Goliath and planting a seed in Wes’ life. Wes did not know this story and went home to search the Bible. Later Wes was in a Sunday School class taught by Derrell’s father in law, Gordon Hutchinson who asked if the students knew where they would go when they die. This bothered Wes and he went home and prayed to receive Christ.

Coach Derrell had a long tenure as Superintendent of Parkview Baptist School, and the new buildings and new stadium there were built under his administration. He finished his career as assistant principal at Central Private School. He spoke fondly of the students, parents and staff at CPS.

Derrell’s health worsened in later years and he continued to spend hours studying and sharing God’s word and teaching everyone who came in contact with him, especially his beloved grandchildren.

Derrell kept journals for years of his physical pain and suffering and of his love and walk with Christ through it all. He never ceased writing scriptures and prayers daily. He loved talking college football with his sons and was a gentle man of integrity who fought the good fight and left a wonderful legacy of faith.

Nita and Wayne Rizzutto shared a memory about Derrell going to visit and share Bible study with their son-in-law Brian Hess, who suffered a brain injury in a car accident. “We recall how hard it was for Derrell to painfully get into our truck for the 20-minute drive to Kimen and Brian’s house. He continued in great pain to walk around and sit to share the Bible study with Brian. Yet, he prepared and shared Bible truths with Brian enthusiastically, and we benefitted from it as well. The compassion with which he spoke and prayed for Brian was heartwarming. On days when it was obvious that Derrell was in more pain than usual, Wayne mentioned to Derrell that if it was too hard for him to make the trip, they didn’t have to go that particular day. Derrell would say that he would have to be a whole lot worse off not to go and share with Brian! How his heart went out to Brian. Brian also was filled with respect and compassion for Derrell, with Brian stating that even though his brain injury rendered a multitude of limitations, he at least didn’t have the 24-7 pain that Derrell had. This memory of his painstaking effort for someone else is such a tribute to the stature of a man that Derrell was.”

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