Obituaries

Max Robert Stephen Hill was born on March 4, 1951, in Knoxville, Tennessee, and passed from this life surrounded by the love of family and friends.

Born to Max Leroy Tucker and Leavie Mae McGoldrick Tucker, Max was later raised and adopted by James Donald “JD” Hill. Throughout his life, he remained proud of both his Tucker and Hill roots and maintained lifelong connections to both families.

Max proudly served in the United States Marine Corps during the Vietnam War, a source of pride he carried throughout his life. He remained active in the Veterans of Foreign Wars and the Marine Corps League and never missed an opportunity to remind those around him that “the Marines are the men’s department.”

Following his military service, Max returned to Kentucky, where he built a life centered on family, hard work, and connection. Hard work had been part of his life from an early age, beginning with a newspaper route as a young boy and a job at a local drive-in as a teenager. Over the years he worked in transportation, including long-haul trucking, driving a cab, and security work. He was a man who believed there was always room for one more person at the table. If someone had nowhere to go, his answer was simple: “Invite them over.” Family was not limited by blood, distance, or circumstance. He believed people should feel welcomed, included, and cared for.

A lifelong Cincinnati Reds fan, Max followed the team faithfully for decades. While he followed the Reds through every era, his heart belonged to the Big Red Machine. He never tired of sharing stories about Charlie Hustle, Mr. Perfect, and the moments that made Reds baseball special. Whether listening on the radio, watching from home, or sharing stories with family, Reds baseball remained one of the great constants of his life.

Max was a lifelong lover of stories. Whether he was watching a John Wayne western, enjoying an Elvis movie, listening to The Beatles, or reading Stephen King, he rarely turned down a good tale. He enjoyed photography, television favorites like JAG and NCIS, and later in life became known for his love of plants. He also held firm opinions on Cincinnati chili, proudly stood on the Gold Star side of the Skyline debate, and never lost his taste for Tom’s Papa Dino’s, a Florence favorite that had been part of his life since boyhood.

His children remember Friday pizza nights spent together watching TGIF. For generations of children in his family, Halloween began when Max placed the first piece of candy into their trick-or-treat bucket, a tradition he carried on for decades. His grandchildren also remember one of his favorite expressions: “Do you want a knuckle sandwich?” usually delivered with a grin.

Max was preceded in death by his biological father, Max Leroy Tucker; his adoptive father, James Donald “JD” Hill; his mother, Leavie Mae Hill; and Victoria Lynn Hill, with whom he shared seven children and a lifetime of memories.

He is survived by his children, Stephanie Burch, Miranda Mullins, James Hill, Justice Hill, Robert Lombard, Donald Lombard, and Skye Hill; eleven grandchildren; sixteen great-grandchildren; his sister, Brenda Kay Tucker; his brothers Anthony Hill, Joe Hill, and Andrew Hill; his sisters Maria Cable and Leah Hubbard; along with numerous nieces, nephews, cousins, extended family members, and friends from both the Tucker and Hill families.

More than anything, Max will be remembered for making people feel like they belonged. Whether family by blood, family by choice, fellow Marines, neighbors, friends, or strangers in need of a place to go, he had a way of making room for people. His life was a testament to loyalty, family, service, and connection.

Ooh-rah.

Semper Fidelis.

Visitation will be held on June 30, 2026 at Chambers and Grubbs Funeral home, 8461 Dixie Hwy, Florence, KY from 10:30-12:30pm. Burial with full military honors will take place at 2pm in Kentucky Veterans Cemetery North.