Deloris Ann Hays Hill

Beloved Mother, Grandmother, Great-Grandmother, and Aunt passed away at the age of 97 on the morning of December 26, 2022, at the home of her daughter Rebecca and son-in-law David in Sugar Land, Texas. 

Deloris, or Dee as she was known, was born in the country home of her parents Eddie and Flora Hays of Gibson County, Indiana. Dee grew up in a large loving family of eight siblings; Haven, Irene, Martha, Edna, James, Willard, Fanny, and Wanda. 

Dee is predeceased by her parents, siblings, and her husband of 33 years Robert Harold Hill Sr. 

Dee is survived by son Robert Harold Hill Jr., daughter Rebecca Buttrum (David), son Paul Edward Hill (Julietta), and son Joseph Roy Hill (Kimberly). Dee is also survived by grandchildren Amanda Kufner, Jon Buttrum (Kimberly), Schyler Buttrum (Abigail), and Andrew Joseph Hill (Christine). Also surviving are great-grandchildren Calvin Buttrum, Violet Buttrum, Brooks Buttrum, River Kufner, Jack Buttrum, Ian Hill, and Gemma Buttrum. Also left behind is a large family of nieces and nephews. 

Dee’s father, Eddie, a World War I Veteran, passed away when Dee was 7. Flora, Dee’s Mother, was a hard-working, industrious woman who managed to keep her large family together and even prospered during the depression on the family’s 7-acre farm. 

As a young girl, Dee would set her alarm for 4:15 am in order to feed the hogs, milk the cow, and carry in coal. All of these chores were accomplished before the start of the school day. 

Dee often reminisced of the happy times the family would gather on the front porch to sing. She also remembered the time her mother would allow her to stay up past bedtime to listen to the radio. 

After graduating in 1943 from Owensville High School, she joined the Army Nurse Cadet Corps. Dee received her training at Welborn Baptist Hospital, Evansville, Indiana. Dee was “capped” in a ceremony at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church and was due to be stationed in France if World War II hadn’t ended. 

During her years as a Nurse Cadet, Dee had many fun adventures and was introduced by her best friend Ginny to Robert Hill who played in a band with Charlie Tooley, Ginny’s fiance. 

Dee and Robert, Charlie and Ginny were married in a double ceremony on September 3, 1940. Dee then began her career in nursing at Welborn Baptist Hospital. 

Dee, Bob, and their four children moved to the country home in 1964. Shortly thereafter she continued her career at Gibson General Hospital, Princeton, Indiana. 

Dee retired in 1987 and spent her retirement traveling, volunteering, and playing her favorite card game, Euchre, at the Princeton, Senior Citizens Center. 

Dee moved to Texas in 2017 and into her daughter’s home at the beginning of the Coronavirus Pandemic in March 2020. 

Dee will be remembered for her love of devotion to God; love of family; passion for travel; her sharp wit; but most of all for her kindness, caring, and compassion especially for those on the margins of society.