Rife Hillen "Hilly" -who celebrated his 83rd birthday on Sept. 1 was born in New Oxford PA and succumbed to this life on Sept. 17 2010. A 5:00 PM gathering followed by a 7:00 service will be held on Tuesday September 21 2010 at the Ormond Chapel of the Lohman Funeral Home. New Oxford PA Services will be under the direction of Fred Feiser's Funeral Home 302 Lincoln Way West. Visitation will be Thursday from 6-8 and funeral service Friday at 11:00 AM with interment to follow at the New Oxford Cemetery. Hilly shared most of his life with his wife of 65 years Becky on their family farm in New Oxford but moved to Ormond Beach in 1991; they periodically returned to their family farm which has been in their family for nine generations. He was the son of Vernon Rife and Edith Griffin Rife who along with his siblings Harold Rife and Dorothy Deardorff preceded him in death. Hilly was a very colorful individual who lived more than nine lives. He survived three airplane accidents three serious racecar accidents a mugging at gunpoint among other close visits with death but it was the ravaging disease of cancer that he finally submitted to. Anyone who knew Hilly knew many of the stories in his life; there was never any need to exaggerate because his life was unbelievable enough. He was a member of the First Lutheran Church past president of the New Oxford Lions Club a Rotarian a member of the New Oxford Chamber of Commerce an Honorary member of the Elks and Moose Lodge of Hanover PA and Ormond Beach FL. He was on the Board of Directors of the Conklin Center for the Blind the past Northeastern Regional Director for NASCAR in the early 70's Vice President of Motor Racing Heritage and instrumental in the founding of the Living Legends of Auto Racing in Daytona and Ormond Beach FL for which he was recently honored and awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award. Hilly built Lincoln Speedway in Abbottstown PA and strongly promoted the "Outlaw" Sprint Car Racing in its infancy. He also promoted racetracks in Bedford Dorsey and Susquehanna Speedway. He was a racetrack owner driver promoter but most of all a fan of the sport of racing and did all he could to promote the sport his entire life. In his earlier years he had a Used Car Lot in New Oxford and then later sold airplanes before retiring to Ormond Beach. He loved flying almost as much as racing but even more than racing he loved his wife family and dogs. He was remembered by people in PA always with his cigar; in Ormond there was the cigar his Stetson hat and bolo. Mr. Rife is survived in death by his remarkable wife Elizabeth Rebecca Wenschhof Rife who he always thought was the most beautiful woman he'd ever seen his daughter Vicki Hughes-Micheli of Ormond Beach two sons Hillen "Hilly" Rife Jr. of New Oxford PA and Larry Rife of Hanover PA nine grandchildren 14 great-grandchildren and numerous extended family and friends that he would have considered close family as well. Memorial donations can be made in his honor to the Conklin Center for the Blind or Motor Racing Heritage / Living Legends of Auto Racing. Arrangements are under the careful direction of Lohman Funeral Home Ormond.