Nolen Hill

Nolen Lee Hill, age 75, of Midlothian, Texas passed away on February 7, 2023, surrounded by his loving family. He was born on September 19, 1947, in Attalla, Alabama to the late John Henry and Gertrude (Gillihand) Hill and grew up with four brothers Bobby, Jay, Jerry and Danny. He attended Etowah High School up to the tenth grade where he loved to dance to Elvis Presley and won many trophies in dance competitions. In the late 1950’s Nolen and his family first moved to Texas to follow the trades of cotton farming. When that became scarce in Texas as well, they moved back to Alabama to eventually return in the late 1960’s. Then, Nolen began working in restaurant management with his brothers Jerry and Jay who owned Roadway Inn Restaurant in Ft. Worth. Nolen also learned the painting trade from his dad, John, and worked hard to eventually own his own business Resurrection Paint Company for many years. Nolen was known for his contagious humor, even in the most unconventional places and situations. He loved being a kid when it came to Christmas time and birthdays, never being able to wait to open his gifts. He loved spontaneous small trips; he was known to just tell the family to pack a bag and they would head south to Galveston. Nolen did not believe in judging others for their past sins. He first lived a life that he was not proud of, but accepted his faults and failures and turned it around when he was saved in 1981 never looking back to his sinful ways. Nolen had a heart for the forgotten and unforgiveable. He started his street ministry witnessing to passersby on Harry Hines. He would reach out to the homeless and share his testimony to each person he encountered giving them food, clothes, and sometimes the shoes off his feet.  He was invited to preach at prisons which lit a fire to establishing Resurrection Ministries for his prison ministry and homeless ministry. Nolen later fell in love with Yolanda and began their life journey together on August 24, 1987. Nolen loved his children with all his heart, Larry, Tina, Tony, Nolen Jr., and loved his stepdaughter, Alysa, as his own. He adored all his grandchildren even more. Together, Nolen and Yolanda, would join the Salvation Army fulltime in the 1990’s moving around in Texas serving the homeless wherever needed. They would settle in Little Rock, Arkansas at the Salvation Army Harbor Light Corps until retirement in 2006. Nolen and Yolanda moved to Midlothian to enjoy retirement until his stroke in 2009 that would trouble him until his last days. Nolen’s smile was infectious. His love for sharing God’s word never ceased even through his extensive hospitalizations, rehab centers, and doctor’s offices. Every person he encountered would hear how God can change their lives even up to his last days. Nolen with a smile on his face asked his hospice nurse as she played Amazing Grace, “Are you a Christian?” The love of his life was his precious wife, Yolanda, that cared for him. There was no greater love than the love they shared in each other and Christ. Nolen’s beautiful smile and sense of humor will be incredibly missed by anyone who knew and loved him, but his legacy will carry on: Have a forgiving heart. Love as Christ loved. Read God’s Word. Always smile.

Nolen is preceded in death by his parents, John and Gertrude; brothers: Bobby Hill, Jay Hill, and Jerry Hill.

He is survived by his loving wife Maria Yolanda Hill of Midlothian, Texas; children: Larry Hill of St. Augustine, Florida, Tina and husband Wesley Thrasher of Plano, Texas, Tony and wife Debie Hill of Mabank, Texas, Alysa and husband Brent Shull of Waxahachie, Texas, Nolen and wife Shelby Hill of Dallas, Texas; grandchildren: Alysha Harvey, Taylor Harvey, Dyllan Hill, Jarrod and wife Whitney Hill, Brenton and wife Mariah Shull, Bryson Shull and Jessica Wade, Aadon Shull, River Nolen Librach-Hill; great-grandchildren: Jaylon, Jaxon, Isabella, and Jameson as well as numerous other family members and friends.

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