Dora Gene Rattray Hill

Dora Gene Rattray Hill, a lifelong resident of Gadsden, passed away on February 14, 2012, at the age of 85. She was preceded in death by her parents, Lillian Moore Rattray and Herbert Rattray; sister, Ethel Claire Rattray Sharp; and brother-in-law, Clarence Kirkley.

Surviving are her husband of 63 years, Raymond Hill; son, Bruce Hill; daughter and son-in-law, Danny and Gail Owens of Guntersville; sister, Lillian Rattray Kirkley; sister-in-law, Jean Hill; brother-in-law, David Sharp; three grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren.

Dora Gene graduated from Gadsden High School in 1944 and the University of Montevallo in 1949. Because of her interest in foreign languages, she took correspondence courses in Spanish and taught herself to speak and read the language. After teaching Spanish for several years, Dora Gene became interested in Russian and again took a correspondence course and listened to tapes to teach herself the language. She received a Master’s degree in Spanish and completed the course of study as a Ph.D. candidate at The University of Alabama. Mrs. Hill began a teaching career that spanned nearly four decades. Her influence on thousands of students began at Gadsden High School in 1957 and included Snead State College, The University of Alabama in Gadsden, Gadsden State Community College, and most recently Gadsden City High School. Over the years she taught Spanish, Russian, and Latin, and in 2006, at the age of 79, she taught Latin at the new Gadsden City High. The following year she celebrated her 80th birthday doing what she loved so much, teaching high school students. These students had not even been born when she retired from GHS in 1989.

In 1964 Mrs. Hill’s Spanish students, upon finding out that she had never been to a Spanish-speaking country, decided secretly to raise money among themselves for a trip. They presented her a Christmas gift of enough money to send her to Mexico. Almost every year following until her retirement in 1989, Mrs. Hill took a group of her Spanish students, sometimes as many as thirty per trip, to Spain or Mexico during spring break or the first week in June.

Students in every decade remember her as the best teacher they ever had. Her dedication, sense of humor, concern for students, creativity, and her passion made Dora Gene an unforgettable presence in educational circles, especially in the hearts of those she taught.

Dora Gene was honored in 1971 by Jacksonville State University as the first inductee into the Alabama Teachers’ Hall of Fame. She was also selected Alabama State Teacher of the Year in 1976. She shared her expertise by serving on committees of the Southern Association of Evaluation and Certification, Alabama State Course of Study, and State Board of Education Commission to design exit examinations for foreign language teachers.

She also served on the Alabama Humanities Board, was a member and past president of Delta Kappa Gamma education honorary for women and received a Delta Kappa Gamma International Council Research Scholarship to The University of Alabama. A long-time member of the Alabama Association of Teachers of Spanish and Portuguese, Mrs. Hill participated in national meetings in the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico.

She was a Christian lady of great faith, being an active member of Gadsden First Baptist Church all of her life. Dora Gene also taught Sunday School at the Gardner Street Mission of First Baptist Church. Reflecting that spirituality in her daily life, she exhibited love, kindness, generosity, and respect toward others. A model of exemplary character, Dora Gene Hill was a blessing to those who knew her.

Pall bearers include her former Gadsden High School students Charles Hart, Gordon Isbell, III, Johnny Johns, Mike Keracher, Don Lytle, Joe Saxon, Harry Vance, Charlie Watts, and Nobel Yocum.

The family will receive friends on Friday, February 17th, from 5 to 8 pm at Collier Butler Funeral Home. The funeral will be February 18th, at 2 pm at First Baptist Church of Gadsden. Interment will follow the service at Crestwood Cemetery. In lieu of flowers the family requests memorials be made to Gadsden First Baptist Church, 235 South Fifth Street, or to Gadsden City High School, 1917 Black Creek Parkway, for the Dora Gene Hill Foreign Language Scholarship Fund.

Online condolences may be made at www.collier-butler.com.