Danny Duane Hill

Dan, the youngest of six children, was born in Johnson, Nebraska, on January 31, 1939 and graduated from Johnson High School in 1956.

He immediately joined the U.S. Air Force and served from 1956 to 1963 in the Air Intelligence Division and spent two years in Japan, one year in Vietnam, and one year at the Pentagon. In preparation for his tour of duty in Japan, he attended Yale University for one semester to learn Japanese.

While in Vietnam he flew 85 combat missions as a helicopter gunner. Following his Air Force service Dan joined the Army and served from 1963-1966 with duty stations at Hickory Hill USAR Center, Fort Lee, Virginia as a Reserve Advisor, and in the Criminal Investigation Division CID for Fort Sam Houston, Texas.

During Dan's military career he received the Air Medal, the Army Commendation Medal, and the Expeditionary Medal.

Dan married Barbara Elbel in July 1967 and they were privileged to be married in the chapel at Santa Rose Hospital with their wedding reception held in the Hospital's 12th floor President's Room.

Following Dan's military career he attended St. Mary's University and graduated in 1971 with a Bachelor of Business Administration Degree in Personnel Management.

While working on his degree at St. Mary's University, he served as a part-time probation officer at the Bexar County Juvenile Department.

Following Dan's degree from St. Mary's, he completed graduate studies in Healthcare Administration at Trinity University in 1972. Immediately following, he served a healthcare administration residency at San Antonio Community Hospital, owned by American Medicorp, Inc. AMI, and subsequently became an assistant administrator of the facility with primary responsibility for leasing the Physicians Plaza medical office building. Dan was then promoted to Administrator of Sharpstown General Hospital in Houston, Texas, also owned by AMI, form 1975-1976 and then relocated to California in 1976 where he was administrator of Studebaker Community Hospital in Norwalk until 1978, when AMI was acquired by Humana, Inc.

Following the acquisition of AMI by Humana, Dan joined American Healthcare Management, Inc. AHM in September 1978, an investor-owned hospital company founded by Dr. John Bradley, and from 1978 to 1990, Dan served at several facilities around the country including Western Park Hospital in Los Angeles, Sharpstown General Hospital in Houston, Pasadena General Hospital in Pasadena, Texas, Samaritan Hospital in St. Paul, Minnesota, Our Lady of Peace Hospital in Louisville, Kentucky, and Indio Community Hospital in Indio, California.

When Dan left the healthcare field in the 1990s, he purchased a sign company and operated it for more than 15 years. He considered it more of a hobby than a business and many of his customers became his friends over the years. Because of declining health, Dan reluctantly closed the business in August 2010.

He is survived by his wife, Barbara, daughter Stephanie, and four wonderful grandchildren Dylan, Zachary, and twins Madison and Jackson, all of San Antonio. Dan is also survived by a brother, Robert Hill of Bellevue, Nebraska; three sisters, Eunice Dovel of Lincoln, Nebraska; Betty Aufenkamp of Bellevue, Nebraska; Marjorie Beezley of Humboldt, Nebraska; and numerous nieces and nephews.

Dan was preceded in death by his parents, Ralph Donald Hill and Margaret Merritt Hill, and his oldest brother, Donald Hill.

The family wants to express its deepest gratitude to Dr. Ian Thompson who with his wonderful surgical team was able to extend Dan's life for more than a year.

The family also wants to express sincere thanks to our family physician, Dr. Mitchell Finnie, and to the numerous caregivers at CHRISTUS VNA Hospice, especially Bertha Gonzalez, for the wonderful, compassionate care he received.

In addition, the family wants to thank Arthur Satterwhite for helping to care for Dan.

Dan will lie in-state on Thursday, October 7th beginning at 1:00 P.M. and the family will visit with family and friends from 6:00 P.M. to 8:00 P.M. at Porter Loring on McCullough.

SERVICE

FRIDAY

OCTOBER 8, 2010

10:00 A.M.

PORTER LORING

CHAPEL

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions are welcome to Santa Rosa Children's Hospital Foundation, 343 West Houston Street, Suite 505, San Antonio, Texas 78205.

Interment in Sunset Memorial Park.