In the early afternoon of November 25, 2024, the Lord called His servant the Reverend Lorenzo Dow Hill, Sr. home.
Reverend Lorenzo Dow Hill, Sr. was born on June 19, 1953, in New Bern, North Carolina to the late Annie Bell Hill Bryant and the late Walter Lee Mack. Lorenzo was educated in the Craven County Public School System in New Bern, North Carolina and he graduated from New Bern Senior High School in 1971. Upon graduation, he gained admission to Livingstone College in Salisbury, North Carolina on a football scholarship. However, he left Livingstone shortly after beginning his college career due to a football injury and he enlisted in the United States Navy. While in the Navy, Lorenzo served aboard the USS Santa Barbara (AE 28) as a Yeoman 3rd Class Petty Officer in the engineering department. Lorenzo made several cruises while aboard this ship, to include a West Pac Cruise to the Mediterranean, the Caribbean, Guantanamo Bay, and Vietnam.
In August of 1975, Lorenzo returned to Livingstone College to complete his college degree. During this time, he continued to serve in the Navy through the Naval Reserve and he was initiated into Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Incorporated. In 1978, he graduated from Livingstone having earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration. After being called to the ministry, Lorenzo enrolled in Divinity School at Howard University in Washington, DC. He graduated from Howard in 1981 with a Master’s Degree in Divinity. It was there at Howard where Lorenzo met the former Colette Odella Brantley in January of 1981. They were married the following year on his birthday on June 19, 1982. To this union, two children were born: Lorenzo Dow Hill, Jr. (DJ) and Lynnette Odella Hill.
After completing his degree at Howard University, Lorenzo did a one-year chaplaincy internship at Saint Elizabeth’s Hospital in Washington, DC. He then served as a Navy Chaplain for three years and received a direct commission as a Lieutenant in the Navy. He also spent time serving with the Marines at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina and as a chaplain at the Naval Hospital in Bethesda, Maryland. Lorenzo was honorably discharged from the Navy having earned the rank of Lieutenant Commander (O-4).
Lorenzo began his career in the ministry by pastoring at various Baptist churches throughout Eastern North Carolina. He expanded his reach of sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ by becoming a minister of the Virginia Annual Conference with the United Methodist Church. Lorenzo was ordained as an Elder of the United Methodist Church on June 21, 1993 and he went on to serve in ministry for thirty-four years. During that time, Lorenzo pastored churches in the Norfolk, Lynchburg, Roanoke, Winchester, and Alexandria districts. He also served on various boards within the Virginia Annual Conference, to include the Board of Church and Society, Black Methodists for Church Renewal (BMCR), the District Board of Ordained Ministry, the Conference Board of Ordained Ministry, and the District Nominations Committee. He also served in campus ministry at the Wesley Foundation at Virginia Tech and as a candidacy mentor for two districts within the Virginia Annual Conference.
Ministry was Lorenzo’s calling and purpose in life. He never missed an opportunity to share God’s word with others. For him, ministry was not confined to within the walls of the church; he would minister anywhere and everywhere, and he did. From offering shelter in his own home to leading counseling groups at the Covenant House in West Virginia, he found a way to always minister. Even after retiring, he continued to work in ministry, finding his way back into the pulpit on occasion.
In addition to ministry, Lorenzo made his presence felt in the community. While serving in the Winchester District, Lorenzo served on the Winchester Public School Board from August of 2000 through June of 2005. He also served as a mentor to many students in the Winchester Public School System. He was a Master Mason and a member of the Fiat Lux Lodge No. 1717, and he was active in his fraternity, Phi Beta Sigma, Incorporated.
Lorenzo never met a stranger. He loved people and would talk to everybody. Sunday dinners would usually start late because he could be counted on to stay hours after church talking to anyone who needed to talk. He made his presence felt in whatever room he walked into and he could usually be heard saying, “Mercy.” His hobbies included watching cowboy Westerns, traveling, and driving. One thing you could count on Lorenzo to do was to hop in the van to drive to come see you no matter the distance, even if it was to only poke his head in the door just to say hi.
More than anything, Lorenzo loved his family and loved to spend time with them. He was a devoted husband and a very loving and present father. His love for family even included his beloved pet Shih Tzus—Romeo, Muffin, and Lily—and a grandpet—Roxie—also a Shih Tzu.
Lorenzo was preceded in death by his parents: Annie Bell Hill Bryant and Walter Lee Mack; his stepfather Lee Miles Bryant; and, his Uncle Woodrow Hill and his aunt Leubudder (aka Bert) Hill, who lovingly poured into his growth and development from childhood.
To cherish his memory are his loving wife: Colette Brantley Hill of Franklin, Virginia; his son: Lorenzo Dow Hill, Jr. (DJ) of Franklin, Virginia; and, his daughter: Lynnette Odella Hill of Portsmouth, Virginia. Also, left to cherish his memory are his sisters: Linda C. Hill of New Bern, North Carolina, Mary Williams and Yvette Williams, both of Queens, New York; his brothers: Charles (Verleria) Lee Miles Bryant of New Bern, North Carolina; Gene (Shirley) O’Neal Bryant of New Bern, North Carolina; Leroy Bryant of New Bern, North Carolina; and, James Orpheus Bryant of New Bern, North Carolina; his sisters-in-law: Linda Brantley Culmer and Barbara Shearin Lott, both of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; and, a host of aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, cousins, relatives, and friends.
In lieu of flowers donations can be made to High Street United Methodist Church P. O. Box 218, Franklin, VA 23851 or to Upsilon Xi Sigma Chapter Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Incorporated P. O. Box 43 Suffolk, VA. 23439
(Source: https://www.engramfuneralhome.com/obituary/lorenzo-hill-sr)
