Mother Bettie Jean Hill

HILL, Mother Bettie Jean - age 85, passed away Tuesday, May 20, 2014 at Heartland Health Care Center-Fostrian in Flushing, MI. Family hour 10 a.m. Saturday, May 24, 2014 at Mt. Pisgah Baptist Church, G-6415 N. Clio Rd. with funeral service commencing at 11 a.m. Pastor Wallace Hill III officiating. Interment Lovedale Memorial Cemetery, 5175 E. Bristol Rd., Burton, MI. Friends and pallbearers will assemble at the Church 10 a.m. Saturday. Mother Hill will lie in state in the Chapel of Lawrence E. Moon Funeral Home, 906 W. Flint Park Blvd. and may be viewed from 1 p.m.-8 p.m. Friday. Mrs. Bettie Jean (Reed) Hill affectionately known as “Big Ma” and “Mother Hill” to the many who loved her, departed this life on May 20, 2014 at Heartland Healthcare Center Fostrian. Bettie was born on September 14, 1928 in Montgomery, Alabama the youngest child of William Henry and Ethel Lee (Kendrick) Reed. As the daughter of a Baptist Deacon and a Mother who was a strong woman of faith, Bettie became a lover of God and accepted Jesus Christ as her Lord and Savior at a very early age. Bettie Jean Reed married Wallace Hill, Jr. on April 20th, 1946 and moved to Flint, MI. Of this union were born 6 children. Becoming a full-time wife and mother at an early age, Bettie hung up her dancing shoes, put aside college, and poured all of her heart, soul, love and care freely onto her family. Although she was never formally employed outside the home, Bettie worked every day of her life and one of her greatest pleasures was singling in the choir and working in the kitchen. She was very well known for feeding the hungry and even those who were not. She also had a strong, distinctive alto voice with perfect pitch! What a great lady. Mrs. Bettie Jean (Reed) Hill leaves to cherish her sweet memory: devoted children, Delores Boaz, Rev. Wallace (Shirley) III, all of Flint, Evangelist Janice Hill of Farmington Hills, MI, Alvin (Pastor Victoria) Hill, all of Pittsburgh, PA, and Jacqueline (Dunell) Chaney of Oxford, MI; 9 grandchildren, Charles Montgomery, Wallace (Michi) Hill IV, Rodrick Hill, all of Flint, Darrell Hill of Indianapolis, IN, Alisia (Marques) Johnson of Pontiac, MI, Corey Chaney of Norfold, VA, Tyrone Jenkins, Alvin (Stephanie) Hill II, and Victor Hill of Pittsburgh, PA; 11 great-grandchildren, Shanae Hill, Cierra O’Neal, Ashnee Young, Domonique Anderson, Wallace Hill V, Armani Hill, Ariel Lane, Alyssa and Mackenzie Johnson, Rodrick Hill Jr. and Tabria Walker; 5 nieces, Bettie Jean Loving of Shreveport, LA, Carolyn (Welton) Lewis of Flint, Dr. Vivian (James) Elliott of Denver, CO, Gloria Washington and Lydia Reed both of Montgomery, AL; nephew, Dr. Wilbert (Zeferene) Gamble of Corvallis, OR; a host of nephews, cousins and many extended family members who feel just like “kinfolk” and they will all miss Mother Hill greatly as well. Mrs. Hill was preceded in death by her husband, Wallace Hill, Jr.; daughter, Alice Delilah Hill-Stocker; great-grandson, baby DeQuandre Hill; parents, William Henry and Ethel Lee Reed; grandmother; 3 sisters; and 3 brothers. The family would like to express special thanks to the Mt. Pisgah Baptist Church family, the Metropolitan Baptist Church family, and Lawrence E. Moon and staff for their love and support during this difficult time. We also express appreciation and gratitude for the loving care of the nursing staff of Hurley’s ACE Unit, and Heartland Healthcare Center-Fostrian in Flushing, MI.

Mother Bettie Jean Hill

September 14, 1928 - May 20, 2014