William P. Hills ’48

Bill was born in Auburn, N.Y., in 1926. His life and career were in Watertown, N.Y., and in Europe as a journalist and freelance writer on history and other topics.

After Army Air Corps service from 1944 to 1945, he entered Princeton and majored in history. He played 150-pound football, hockey, and tennis, and was in Cap and Gown. He graduated in 1950. He also studied in France at the University of Grenoble. Later, he held a Reid Journalism Fellowship in Germany for a year. His father, Paul, was in the Class of 1917.

Most of Bill’s career was at the Watertown Daily Times. He also served on the local school board and was a leader in other community organizations. With Marian, his wife of 64 years, he was owner-manager of a local sports store. He was a lifelong tennis player and instructor.

He died Jan. 23, 2018, after a brief illness. He was 91. He is survived by Marian, sons James and William Jr. ’80, daughters Day and Carol, and three grandchildren.