Biography

Mr. Hill was a native of Macon, Georgia and a 1978 graduate of Warren Wilson College in Asheville. He was an artist, a philanthropist, an activist, a dear friend and brother and was loved by many.

At 20, Mr. Hill circumnavigated the globe, living in India, Afghanistan and Malaysia. His professional career included a variety of positions with AIDS prevention and treatment, environmental and arts organizations, where he held roles in development of services and programs, volunteer management, business management, and as creative director. In the 1980's, Mr. Hill was active in work in Atlanta, Ga. to combat the initial spread of HIV and serve victims of the disease. He later worked with the Seattle, WA-based environmental organization, Heart of America, and at Seattle's Chicken Soup Brigade, an organization providing meals to home-bound victims of debilitating disease. He was later the business manager for Temple Beth Shalom.

As an artist, Stebbo was known for his bold, dramatic use of color in his paintings, furniture design, and home renovation. He often stated he was fighting the "beigeification" of America. His home in Seattle was featured in a 1998 issue of the Seattle Times Sunday magazine for its dazzling design and use of color. "Stebbo wasn't afraid to use bright red or lime green or brilliant orange to make a striking comment-often where you'd least expect it: on a house front, on a piano, or on a kitchen floor. " said his partner, Ben Bryson.

He was the son of the late Frederick McDonald Hill and the late Ann Hoyle Hill of Macon, Georgia. He will always be remembered by his partner of 12 years, Ben Bryson of Asheville, his brothers' families: Frederic "Ric" McDonald and Marianne Hill, daughter Kate Martin of Grand Cayman; Walter Hoyle and Mary Hill, daughter, Emily Elizabeth Hill and son, Nathaniel Frederic Hill of Arlington, Va. and his large family of loving friends.

(Cause of death: pancreatic cancer)