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Revisiting this post and adding some more photos.
As many of you know, this blog and my vintage shop are dedicated to my maternal grandmother, Ora Madge Beals Meredith.
But today I am giving a shout out to my wonderful dad – Jim Hill whom I lost in 1992. As an only child, I was his little girl. In my eyes, he was my hero
Jim was one of the top luxury car salesmen in the country during the 60’s and 70’s first with Cadillac, then for most of his career, with Lincoln Continental. This is back in the days, kiddies, when the well- off drove either a Cadillac or a Lincoln. Imports were too exotic, well at least in Wichita Kansas they were.
These were also the glamour days of Detroit and Madge vividly remembers seeing her parents off on their annual all-expense-paid trips to Motown, a reward to the top salesmen for Lincoln. Before each trip, my mom Millie would get her hair “frosted”, buy a new cocktail dress, and pack the mink. Some years the trip was to Las Vegas. If I was lucky, she returned with a bucket of nickels for me from playing the slots.
He started out in the business in a much humbler position. Up top is one of my favorite photos of Dad in his “Tradin’ Britches” from when he and my mom lived in Lubbock before I came along. My parents were a true car couple, first meeting when he sold her a DeSoto in Ft. Worth. I’m amazed at how many old photos there are of my parents proudly posing in front of their latest vehicle.
Here’s one of my favorite car poses. Don’t you just love that skirt? At this point, Mom was expecting me. Of course, once I came along there was something else to photograph.
Despite that rocky start in Lubbock, Jim Hill became of one of the leading Lincoln salesmen in the country He was the original sharp dressed man. Impeccable suits for work, sport jackets, slacks and white bucks in the summer. I don’t know how he did it in those Kansas summers, working inside without air-conditioning and walking out on the hot car lot but he always looked freshly pressed. While his weight (like mine) was always in flux, Jim was never less than impeccably turned out. He had the most amazing collection of cufflinks and hats. A few of each Madge still owns.
He was a wonderful father, a man of his word and a major influence in my life.
So here’s to you Dad, Happy Father’s Day from your little girl!
