A Life Story

Suzanne "Suzie" Hill Williams died peacefully on December 11, 2024, at the age of 93. Born in Atlanta on July 8, 1931, she was the daughter of Agnes Walker Hill and Joseph Hugh "Buck" Hill. In 1935 she moved to Savannah, residing on Ardsley Park's 45th Street, which at the time was a dirt road. She lived in Vernonburg from 1965 to 2022.She attended the Pape School in Savannah and Mary Baldwin College in Virginia, and graduated from the University of Georgia with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Latin and a minor in Ancient Greek.She had a longstanding commitment to environmental causes on the local, regional and national levels. She was a co-founder of Savannah Tree Foundation, which was formed in 1982 in a successful effort to block the removal of live oak trees along White Bluff Road, and today works to protect Chatham County's urban forest.Her devotion to environmental causes included serving on the boards of Savannah Riverkeeper and the Ossabaw Island Foundation; as a Trustee of The Nature Conservancy of Georgia; and as an advisor to the board of Gray's Reef National Marine Sanctuary Foundation. She received club and zone conservation awards from Savannah's Trustees' Garden Club, of which she was a member for 51 years. She also served on the national level of The Garden Club of America for many years, notably as Vice Chair of the Conservation Committee, a role that involved attending legislative sessions and lobbying representatives in Washington, D.C.In 2011 she received a National Achievement Medal from The Garden Club of America in honor of her deep reverence for the natural world and her work to protect the planet for future generations. She was a member of Asbury Memorial Church and Christ Church Episcopal. She was also a member of the Junior League of Savannah and The Colonial Dames of America.Suzie was always game for the latest adventure. She celebrated her 70th birthday by skydiving in Virginia; her 75th by waterskiing in the Vernon River; her 85th by crossing the Rio Grande and snorkeling in Hawaii; and her 90th by taking the helm of a sailboat in the Wilmington River. She was predeceased by her beloved husband of 49 years, Frederick Fox "Nick" Williams. She is survived by two daughters, Julie Williams Murphy (Daniel) of Darien, Connecticut, and Leslie Walker Williams (Michael Hathaway) of Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada; five grandchildren, Daniel, Nicholas, and Laura Murphy, and Walker and Logan Hathaway-Williams; and her devoted rescue dog, Snowy. Please join us in celebrating Suzie's life at a graveside service at 3:30 p.m. at Bonaventure Cemetery on Sunday, December 15, 2024. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Asbury Memorial Church, 1008 East Henry Street, Savannah, 31401 (https://www.asburymemorial.org) or Savannah Tree Foundation, P. O. Box 8880, Savannah, 31412 (https://savannahtree.org)The family wishes to express their deep appreciation for the love and support of Suzie's friends through the years.