FRANK DOUGLASS HILL, III, M.D.
1931-2021
A beloved Pediatrician, husband, father, grandfather, dog lover, Feminist and friend has passed away.
Frank Douglass Hill, III, MD, was born in Ft. Worth, Texas, to Frank Douglass
Hill, Jr. and Gwendolyn Thomas Hill. He grew up in Temple and San Marcos, where he graduated from
San Marcos HS at age 15 and Texas State University at age 18. At age 22, he completed Baylor College of Medicine in 1954, where he was a member of Phi Chi Medical Fraternity.
After Internship at Jeff Davis Hospital, he served in the US Air Force for two years as a Flight Surgeon, then completed his Residency in Pediatrics at BCM in 1959 and joined Dr.E.O. Fitch in private practice. He changed the name of the practice to Pediatric Medical Group and practiced for 48 years, before retiring in 2007.
He was elected President of the Medical Staff at Texas Children’s Hospital (two terms) and Methodist Hospital. He enjoyed mentoring young medical students as a Clinical Professor of Pediatrics. Dr. Hill also served as President of the Houston Child Guidance Board and a member of the board for DePelchin Childrens’ Center.
The diversity of Dr.Hill’s staff and patients was cherished and celebrated, not only by him, but by those who worked with him. He loved the exchange of foods, events and experiences and felt they added to the richness and tapestry of his life and those around him.
Dr. Hill led a life committed to service. He worked with the Bridges to Life Prison Ministry assisting inmates in reevaluating their choices and gaining accountability. He and his loving wife, Dale, also served as medical missionaries to Guatemala. He built sidewalks at the Methodist McCurdy School in Santa Fe, NM, where indigenous students were required to stay when unable to cross the arroyos during the rainy seasons. Dr. Hill and Dale sang locally in the choir at St. Lukes UMC and he was also happy to make sandwiches at his church for preschoolers who needed a lunch. At the Food Bank, he filled bags with food for the needful.
Dr. Hill thoroughly enjoyed life and appreciated the people in it. He had a variety of hobbies during his lifetime: sailing; collecting folk art; scuba diving; raising orchids, frangipanis, palms and roses; traveling extensively; gourmet cooking; playing poker and bridge; photographing nature; entertaining friends; reading and discussing books, and telling lots of stories about people and places he found interesting.
He liked to partner with friends for adventures. Loving to ski and sail, he
syndicated a ski house in Crested Butte,CO; a 42-foot Tartan sailboat, which the crew raced from Galveston to the Yucatan in 1972, winning the race; and a 1952 Silver Wraith Rolls Royce, which he drove for his children’s car pool and friend’s weddings, with, of course, the appropriate chauffeur’s hat!
His first marriage of 20 years was to Barbara Fitch and they had seven children.
His “second rodeo”, as he called it, was to Dr. Dale Hill, to whom he proposed on a blind date and married on their fourth date in 1972. He added her son, Sean, to his brood.
Predeceasing Dr. Hill are his parents, daughter, Virginia (Ginna) and son, Edward Hill.
Surviving are his wife, Dr. Dale Hill, and children Chris (Laura), Nancy Bludworth (Bill), Douglass IV (Annabeth), Benjamin (Leigh Ann), Sean and John (Shannon).
Also, 14 grands, 4 greatgrands, sister-in-law Janee Bellamy, niece Heather Carayanis and her daughter Ella Grace. His honorary sons include Dr. Alex Injac (Sarah), Dr. Jay Allison (Ann), and Roy Pruden (Sue).
Dr. Hill donated his body as a “silent professor” to Baylor College of Medicine.
A celebration of his life will be held at the sanctuary of
St. Luke’s United Methodist Church on August 13, Friday, 2021 at 2 pm. A reception will follow in the Fellowship Hall. Masks are recommended and appreciated. https://www.stlukes methodist.org/ memorial-livestream-2/ Should tributes be desired, please send contributions in Dr. Hill’s name to Texas Children’s Hospital, 6621 Fannin, Houston, TX 77030, or Amazing Place, 3735 Drexel, Houston, TX, 77027, or Methodist Hospital 6565 Fannin, Houston, TX 77030.