Leila Fern Hill

Fern Hill passed away in her home on August 27, 2017, surrounded by her family at the age of 91 years, 6 months, 9 days.

Fern was born March 18, 1926 to Loyd and Olva (Barton) Fry on their farm north of Mountain Grove, Missouri, where she also grew up. Fern attended Willow Springs country grade school and graduated from Mountain Grove High School. After graduation she passed state exams and started teaching at Mountain Valley and Willow Springs two-room schools. She attended SMS during the summer and taught during the school year. She substitute taught in the Mountain Grove school district after they took in the country schools. She later went to work for Brown Shoe Factory as a fancy stitcher and top stitcher.

Fern was married to Leo Hill in 1950. They were blessed with two daughters, Sherry and Sandra.

Their retirement was spent fishing and camping in their 5th wheel trailer with many friends and family.

Fern loved her church and was saved at eleven years old. She was a member and very active in the Willow Springs Free Will Baptist church where she taught classes, Bible school and was an active member of the ladies auxiliary. She wrote many plays and skits that were performed at the church.

Fern’s family and friends benefited from her love of making quilts. When she could no longer make full size quilts, she made numerous baby quilts. She also loved to sew, making clothes for her girls until they were grown and then sewed for her grandkids.

She loved looking out her large windows to watch up to eight different kinds of birds on the feeders in the winter and humming birds in the summer.

Fern loved to have family all home for a meal. She was famous for her wonderful homemade pies.

Fern was preceded in death by her parents, Loyd and Olva Fry, brother, Phillip Fry and wife, Dora, sister, Nora Jane and husband, Clotis Barker, sister-in-law, Letha Fry and brother-in-law, Ray Middleton.

She is survived by Leo Hill, her husband of 67 ½ years, two daughters, Sherry and husband, Gary Raney, of Springfield, Missouri, Sandra and husband, David McGowan, of Waterford, Michigan, four grandchildren, Christie and husband, Paul Windisch, of Nixa, Missouri, Amber and husband, Gabe Fleer, of Willard, Missouri, Zachary and wife, Angela McGowan, of Waterford, Michigan, and Tasa McGowan of Fuquay Varina, North Carolina, great-grandchildren, Ashlyn McGowan, Hayden Windisch, Brecken and Brynlee Fleer, and two step great-grandchildren, Aleah Rivera and Devon Avis, brother, Wayne Fry and sister, Dorothy Middleton, and numerous nieces and nephews.

The family would like to extend their thanks to Doctor Doyle Hill, Home Health of the Ozarks and Hospice Compassus for the wonderful care they have provided Fern.