Joe Robert Hill

Alfieri Funeral Home

Obituaries | The Tube City Almanac | February 18, 2022

Joe Robert Hill, 86, longtime resident of North Huntingdon, Pennsylvania, passed away on February 13, 2022.

Born in Centralia, Illinois in 1935, his life story was one of never letting adversity stand in the way of success.  From growing up in the rural community of Centralia, he joined the Air Force in 1953 after graduating High School and went on to earn his Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering from University of Illinois in 1959 and his Master's degree in Nuclear Engineering from Stanford University in 1961, while at the same time getting married and starting a family.

After spending several years working at the prestigious Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico, he settled in the Pittsburgh area working for Westinghouse in the late 1960’s until his retirement in 1989.  During this time, he met and married his second wife, JoAnn, in 1984.

Soon afterwards, he purchased 50 acres in rural Westmoreland County outside of Pittsburgh and set about the project of building a home on a property most people thought was unusable.  From the late 1980’s he spent his days on various building projects, land improvement developments, and wandering his mountain with his dogs.  He always said that if there was something that you did not know how to do, there was nothing stopping you from learning how to do it.  His life and achievements are a testament to that mindset.  Joe is survived by his wife, JoAnn (nee Nebiolo) of 37 years; brother Gary Hill (Karen Osborne); children Kathy Phipps (Alan Phipps), Mark Hill, and Robert Hill (Colleen Burke-Hill); and grandchildren Andrew Hill, Ian Phipps, Kaitlyn Hill, Nathan Phipps, Hannah Phipps and Maura Phipps.  He was preceded by his parents, Robert and Vera (nee Sprouse) Hill; siblings Roger Hill, Gene Hill, Dorothy Horst, and Ruth Ann Cleveland; and first wife Patricia (nee Robinson). 

In lieu of flowers, memorials can be made to the Salvation Army of Western Pennsylvania. Family and friends are welcome in the Alfieri Funeral Home Inc. Wilmerding Pa on Thursday from 11:00 am until the time of a blessing service at noon. Joe will be laid to rest in Grandview Cemetery, North Versailles Pa.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Joe R. Hill, please visit our floral store.

Originally published February 18, 2022.

Other deaths:
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