Robert Ralph Hill
August 10, 1944 — October 16, 2023
Robert Ralph Hill was an incredibly kind, compassionate, and wonderful person. His love of singing, music, and traveling were unparalleled. He enjoyed connecting with people and spending time with his family and friends. He had a lifelong calling to help others and said, "It is very humbling to ask others for help. However, it also gives others a chance to be helpful and a way to connect with them." He also had a profound love of learning.
Rob was born August 10, 1944 in Tulsa, OK, to Ralph Wesley Hill and Jennie Elizabeth Pinkston Hill. He graduated from Rogers High School and attended Brigham Young University and University of Tulsa for a few college courses. He graduated from Northeastern State University, where he received his Bachelor's degree in Psychology. He would continue to go to Tulsa Community College and audit classes, for no grade or credit throughout his life, because he loved learning. Rob drove a 1956 Chevy before completely losing his eyesight. He then taught himself how to read and write in braille.
Rob never allowed his disability to inhibit his life, relationships with others, or accomplishing what he wanted to do in life. His travels are proof of that! His travels took him all around the world to places like Austria, France, England, and the Netherlands, just to name a few.
In 1981, he received the Service to Mankind Award for Significant and Meritorious Service to Mankind by the Tulsa Police. He retired from Tulsa's Helpline as a Mental Health Crisis Specialist, and he was also a ham radio licensee. Rob was an active member in his church, First Lutheran, and an active member in the church choir. He was a regular performer of "The Messiah" and brought joy to many people with his vocal abilities.
Rob began working actively in 1996 through ACB to form an organization then known as Blind Friends of Lesbians and Gays, known today as Blind Pride International. Overcoming many obstacles along the way, this organization was chartered as an affiliate of ACB in 2000. Rob served as the first president of the organization, and remained active in it until his death. He believed fervently that blind and visually impaired people who are blind and also gay or lesbian needed a home. He also believed that their friends and allies needed a place to come together and work in unity to create an accepting and loving environment in which to communicate and thrive.
Here are a few testimonials of key individuals who knew and worked with Rob during and after the formation of this organization.
Christopher Gray: "Rob Hill was one of the most kind and gentle souls who has touched my life. I worked with him as an unofficial liaison between him and the ACB Board of Directors. In forming BPI, we encountered setback after setback in creating the organization. He never gave up, and he never lost his spirit or his faith that we could get the job done. His strength and commitment carried us over the threshold after four long years to victory when ACB accepted BPI into its prestigious list of organizational affiliates."
Leah Gardner: "Rob Hill accomplished so much through determination, compassion, and gentle nudging. One small step at a time, he climbed the progress mountain until the summit was in sight. He never rushed, but his slow and steady dedication prevailed. All of us can learn from his grace and empathy."
Jason Castonguay: "One of the qualities that stands out in my mind when it comes to Rob Hill is grace. No matter the challenges in a situation, he handled those challenges with poise, patience, and diplomacy. I believe that these attributes are what made him so successful in his founding of BPI (then, BFLAG), as well as his legislative and advocacy work for the affiliate. On a personal note, Rob loved music and the arts, and sang in various choirs most of his life. He also loved to travel and educate himself on a variety of subjects through courses at a local college or through reading. His soft, quiet manner belied his outgoing nature and many talents. When I visited him, he was the perfect host, introducing me to friends, touring me around town, and ready with tickets to a performance or reservation for dinner."
Penny Reeder: "What a wonderful person was Rob Hill. He was brave; he was kind. There was a lot of vicious pushback to the formation of BPI. In a measured and persuasive way, he overcame all of this."
Scott Marshall: "Rob was able to bring people together. That's a real skill, especially when you are directly involved in a process as he very much was in the creation of BPI. Thank you, Rob. We will always remember you. We have quite a debt to repay."
Anthony Corona: "Although I did not have the pleasure of meeting Rob in person when I first became secretary of Blind Pride International, we started chatting periodically over the phone with Gabriel, who was the president at the time. Rob was very excited to see the resurgence of Blind Pride International and all the great work the affiliate was doing. He told some amazing stories and always had such a love for all BPI members and, in fact, for the American Council of the Blind. Rob was someone who would rather push through differences and agree to disagree to further the causes of both organizations. I think his light will shine on for many years to come."
Watch Rob Hill's Angels' Tribute video on YouTube here