Robert Michael (Mike) Hill, 79, of Panama City, Florida passed away January 16, 2023.

He was born in Corpus Christi, TX, on November 17, 1943, and moved to Panama City, Florida, with his family during his childhood where he lived throughout his adult life.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Gordon Scott and Mary Hill; wife, Janice Hill; brother Joseph Scott Hill; sisters in law, Gayland Norton Hill and Brenda S. Falde.

He is survived by wife, Sandra Ford Hill of Panama City; step-daughter, Jennifer Jennings (Kendrick) with children, Katarina and Genevieve, step-daughter Melissa (Brett) Bumgardner with children Killian, Brianna, Bella, Joyanna, Brett Jr. and Malachi. He is also survived by nephew Joseph Christopher (Nana Faith Wolfe) Hill, great nephew, Santana Reign Wolfe-Hill; nephew John Scott (Tawhera Ann Zalal) Hill; great nephew Archer Gage Zalal Hill; sister in law, Sandra (Jack) Wilkes; nieces Stacey Wilkes Rush and Shanna Wilkes; great niece Lauren Day; sister in law, Patti (Michael) Biscotti; niece, Nicole (Scotty) Street; sister in law Barbara (Howard) Wechsler and niece Diana; and a host of cousins and extended family.

Mike's hobbies included collecting and re-building of older and antique cars, predominantly Studabakers, and in his younger years he loved car racing and rebuilding. He was an avid connoisseur of both World and US History, Political Science, and American Literature, and other works, and possessed a full well-read library. Additionally, he was a knowledgeable Bay County historian in his own rights and loved sharing it's rich history with many over the years.  Mike was a small aircraft owner and pilot in his younger years and loved flying, he enjoyed collecting guns and recreational sports shooting.  He enjoyed travelling to historic places and viewing historic architecture as well, particularly designs by Frank Lloyd Wright. He enjoyed traveling, one of his favorite places was New Orleans.  He loved fine Cajun foods, jazz music, street artists, the riverboats and shopping at small shops and boutiques.  He even occasionally enjoyed a fine cigar while playing a fun round of Poker or Blackjack with friends.  Mike enjoyed travelling to smaller historical towns as well such as Savannah, GA and Monroeville, AL for its literary treasures including Truman Capote and Harper Lee, where he took in the annual play To Kill a Mockingbird live on stage at the old courthouse also in Monroeville, Alabama. Mike sailed quite frequently in his earlier years, collected various antiquities over the course of many years, enjoyed weekly luncheon with his Rotary Club friends. Mike loved art of all kinds, music, dance, plays, and most recently the Ballet including The Nutcracker performed live. Mike loved great food and restaurants, as well as relaxed evening by a fire viewing episodes of the latest NetFlix Crime and Western series. Travelling to Italy was a dream in the planning as well, including   long riverboat cruises both here and abroad.

Mike was very supportive of Marion Military Institute (MMI) in Marion, Alabama, where he played on the tennis team in high school and graduated in 1961.  He was a lifetime member of the MMI's alumni association, the Alumni Brigade.  In 2022, he was inducted into the Francis C. Marion Patriots Society to honor his lifetime giving level. He enjoyed attending and supporting the J.C. Webb Memorial Dove Shoot, MMI's biggest fundraising event, in Safford, Alabama, each year.

He completed undergraduate studies in social and political science and graduate studies in Public Administration (MPA) at the University of West Florida. He earned an Ed.S. in educational leadership from Florida State University.

He began working in the area of architecture, working for Hanson Y. Lewis, A.I.A. as a project manager, and ending as a partner.  After that, he began a long-term commitment to education and worked as the Chief Lobbyist for Bay District Public Schools.  He later worked for the Florida Association of School Administrators, as a Chief Lobbyist dealing with both state and federal issues.  His interest in Education took him to the field of Corrections where he directed the operations of the facility's education department and also served as the facility's Media Coordinator.

Mike's entrepreneurial spirit and unique diversity of experience and skills inspired him to start his own consulting company.  He secured contracts in Education, Governmental Relations, Social Services, and Healthcare.

In addition to his business, he became the Executive Director of two health councils in the Florida Panhandle.  He also served as the Executive Director of both the Northwest Florida and Big Bend Health Councils, which serve 18 counties in northwest Florida.  Additionally, he served a 3- year term as a member of the National Institutes of Health's, Council of Public Representatives. He also served as President of the Florida Association of Health Planning Agencies, representing all 11 of Florida's legislatively mandated Health Councils that serve Florida's 20 million residents.

Mike founded PanCare of Florida, Inc. in 2003 after identifying a need in the community for high quality healthcare for the uninsured and underinsured. From humble beginnings in a small, rented office space, he had a vision to expand healthcare coverage for those in need.  He served as President and CEO of PanCare, and the Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) which started out only providing primary care, now offers dental, behavioral health, pharmacy, and optical services through 15 clinics. PanCare serves all Bay District Schools through telehealth and maintains a fleet of 12 mobile healthcare units. Under his leadership, PanCare has expanded to over 325 employees serving over 50,000 individuals across 9 panhandle counties.  His influence on the healthcare landscape has always gone beyond his work at PanCare. In addition to developing and negotiating state and federal legislation for the Certificate of Need and Healthy Kids programs.  He has also led community coalitions that successfully established Federally Qualified Community Health Centers and an indigent clinic for Florida's Bay, Calhoun, Gadsden, Gulf, Franklin, Holmes, Jackson, Liberty, Walton and Washington Counties.

Included in his tireless hours of work was his involvement in an extensive number of professional activities. He has memberships in the American Public Health Association; Healthy Kids of Bay, Gulf, and Franklin Counties; Tobacco Free Coalition of Bay, Calhoun, and Liberty Counties; Northwest Florida Rural Health Network; Florida Rural Health Association; Florida Public Health Association, and Florida Association of Health Planning Agencies.

Mike has received many accolades, honors, and awards over his years of community and professional service.  He was particularly proud of a Lifetime Achievement Award bestowed upon him in 2019 by the Florida Association of Community Health Centers.  The Wendell N. Rollason Award is given to individuals who have displayed outstanding leadership in the field of healthcare.

Mike acknowledged the need for additional high quality specialty medical care in our community.  His vision was to develop a comprehensive regional medical campus, in Panama City, that would serve the uninsured and underinsured residents throughout North Florida.  Thankfully, he was able to see that vision start to become a reality, with the first of five planned buildings breaking ground last year.

A celebration of Mike's life will be held on Saturday, February 18, 2023, at 10 a.m. at the First Baptist Church of Panama City, Florida. A reception will follow the service at the church.

In Lieu of flowers, Memorial donations may be made to the PanCare of Florida, Inc., Mike Hill Memorial Construction Fund at https://paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=GHKG797T5GHWU (underscore after hosted and after button). Your donation will help considerably with completion of this dream project. Individuals may prefer to, instead, donate to a charity of their own choice in his honor.

Thank you from the bottoms of our hearts.