Amityville’s newest centurian, William Hills

William Hills as a volunteer with NAFCo (right). Above, he is shown upon receiving recognition from the fire departmet several years ago.William Hills, a charter member of the North Amityville Fire Company and a former chief of department, celebrated his 100th birthday in January.

William was born in New York City and came to Amityville in 1938. He met Genevieve Egelund and the couple married and raised their family here. Mrs. Hills died in 1986 after the couple was married 46 years.

The celebration was held at the Firemen’s Home in Hudson, New York where William now resides. The facility is owned and operated by the Firemen’s Association of the State of New York (FASNY), an organization William has been a member of since 1956.

William was employed at Republic Aviation from 1941-45 and worked on the famed WWII fighter plane, the P-47 thunderbolt. He was drafted by the U.S. Army, leaving his wife and two children to serve in the Panama Canal Zone.

Upon his discharge from the service, he opened a business in Amityville, Hills Signs. It was originally located on Railroad Avenue. The site is now a parking lot. In 1953, he built his new location on North Broadway, and operated it there until 1988.

The company is still in business at two other locations, one in Lindenhurst and the other in West Winfield, New York.

William was chief of NAFCo from 1951 until 1953 and a member of numerous committees, associations and boards at the Town and County level. He was instrumental in organizing the North Amityville Fire Company Rescue Squad and the North Amityville Exempts and Benevolent Association.

Joining him in celebration were his children Dianne Soper of Herkimer, New York; Beverly Hawkes of Mainsburg, Pennsylvania; Allen Hills of West Winfield, New York and Forrest Hills of Lindenhurst. He has 12 grandchildren and 23 great- grandchildren.