Memorial and Obituary: Esther Clarice (Hexom) Hill

Memorial (Outer page). Esther Clarice (Hexom) Hill (1915-2005). Image courtesy of Verla Williams.


Memorial (Inner page). Esther Clarice (Hexom) Hill (1915-2005). Image courtesy of Verla Williams.

Obituary

Esther Clarice Hexom Hill was born January 3, 1915 on the home farm in Allamakee County, Iowa, the daughter of Carl and Emma (Johnson) Hexom. She was baptized on January 31, 1915 and confirmed on April 21, 1929 at Glenwood Lutheran Church, rural Decorah. She graduated from Waukon High School with the Class of 1932. Esther taught at Shegrud School in Glenwood Township for three years.

She was united in marriage with Chester H. Hill on August 30, 1936 at Glenwood Lutheran Church. To this union two children were born: Clyde and Cheryl.

After raising her family, Esther attended Luther College and also took correspondence courses from Iowa State Teachers College in Cedar Falls. She resumed teaching in 1952 and taught for eight terms at Frankville No. 7 School in Frankville Township. Esther then worked in the physical therapy department of the Winneshiek County Hospital in Decorah for fifteen years.

She was a member of First Lutheran Church, Decorah, where she taught Sunday school, was a member of the altar guild, church circle and the deaconesses. Esther loved flowers and thoroughly enjoyed caring for her plants, watering them and watching them bloom and grow. She liked to have her own garden and was a founding member of the Wayside Garden Club.

Esther died Sunday, July 3, 2005 at the Ossian Senior Hospice in Ossian, Iowa of complications of colon cancer at the age of 90 years.

Survivors include her son, Clyde (Joyce) Hill of Brooksville, FL.; her daughter, Cheryl Williams of Houston, TX.; three grandchildren, Tina (Larry) Brown of Houston, Gwen (Daryl) Wilmeth of Houston, Chris (Katie) Hill of Burnsville, MN.; seven great-grandchildren, one sister, Helen Basler of Decorah, IA., and many other relatives and close friends.

She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband Chester on December 16, 1978; three brothers, George, Arnold and Carlton Hexom; and two sisters, Florence Falstad and Mabel Jensen.