I just finished Beyond Hill Country which I enjoyed very much being a Gene Hill fan of sorts. The date of his death was told numerous times but his birthday wasn't. Does anyone know when he was born?

Bob257

I may be off a bit,but remember reading the issue of F@S when he passed (1997??,or earlier??),seems they said he sent his first article to them abt 1978,when he was 50 yrs old..
So I would guess 1927-28???
He was one of a kind,I really enjoyed him a lot.
I will never forget MANY years ago when he wrote of losing his dog,Maggie, and even tho he had retired her from the field,how he would still take her,and how she was still able to show the younger pups up.
And how losing her took the "Fire" out of him.
I know that feeling well.
He is missed much,by at least one person...Me..

Gene was born on May 15, 1929, and died on May 31, 1997. I never had the privilige of meeting Gene in person, but did have the pleasure of corresponding with him during the last two years of his life. I also attended his memorial service at the Amwell Valley Conservancy in New Jersey.

As David Petzal wrote in his farewell to "Hill Country" in the December 1999 issue of Field & Stream, the day of the service was beautiful (ironically preceeded by a fierce thunderstorm the night before), giving way to a delightfully clear, starry, moonlit night. There was a piper there who played not only "Amazing Grace" (as mentioned by Mr. Petzal), but also "Auld Lang Syne." This was a fitting touch because it was the funeral song of a Labrador retreiver featured in a story titled "One" in Gene's book Tears & Laughter.

"Should old acquaintance be forgot and never brought to mind?" No, not Gene, not ever!