Lila Hill

Lila Ruth (Cole) Hill, age 87 of Birmingham, Alabama passed away on November 17,2025. She was born to James and Cora Cole in Empire, AL on July 7, 1938. Ruth was raised in Birmingham, AL where she lived until moving to Lakeland, Florida 2022. Affectionately known as Ruth, she was unaware that Ruth was not on her birth certificate until she was adult.

She is preceded by her parents, James and Cora Cole; her loving husband of 67 years, Bobby Hill: brothers, Alford and Ralph Cole. Ruth leaves behind her children, Deborah (James) Tulloss, Bobby Harris Hill, Jr., Donna (Bill) Johns, and Douglas (Jamie) Hill. Known as “Mamaw” She and Bobby had 16 Grandchildren, along with many great and even great, great grandchildren. It is also important to recognize her many dogs over the years that she loved and cared for as children, especially her last fur baby “Jack.”

She was also lifelong learner and enjoyed exploring various homemade and holistic cures for anything and explored preventative measures as well. We as a family found that she was also fiercely competitive. When she received a Fitbit as a gift in her 80s, she out walked her age group and was sent to another walking group because the other members rarely walked more miles than she did. Ruth had her Dad’s sense of humor and storytelling, and loved to tell stories of the past about friends and family. She read the Bible from start to finish and could easily recite passages and remember prayers. One of her favorite was the prayer for St Francis of Assisi: the serenity prayer. “God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, Courage to change the things I can, and wisdom to know the difference”.

The grandchildren loved to spend the night with their Mamaw. Most of the time an unplanned, which lead to wearing “T gowns” as pajamas. Mamaw recorded their conversations and songs, played their games, and soaked up their love and laughter. As a parent, we could hear them laughing from the driveway, long before we made it to the front door to pick them up. That is if they agreed to go home after getting her complete and undivided attention for days.

The family will received friends on Friday, December 5, 2025 at 1:00pm with the service to follow in the chapel at Jefferson Memorial funeral Home in Trussville, Al. The burial will immediately follow the service in the adjoining cemetery.