Marion Arvella Hill's Obituary
HILL, Marion Arvella - Passed with peace, mercy and grace on December 30, 2015, at age 84, in her home, and with family.
She was born to Julius (Digs) and Mabel Merchant in Sanger, West Virginia on February 6, 1931 along with her twin sister, Louise (Lou). She also had an older brother Julius Jr. Her mother, Mabel passed away when she was 4 years of age. Her father remarried a wonderful woman, Audrey, who raised Marion and her sister Lou (deceased) and Julius Jr. (deceased) as her own.
Marion attended and graduated from Dubois High School, in Mt. Hope, West Virginia.
In response to an invitation to visit Tacoma Washington from her cousin shortly after she graduated, she left West Virginia and moved here. She immediately fell in love with the Puget Sound area.
Marion met and married Paul B. Woodlief (deceased 1958), and together, over the next 8 years, they were blessed with 4 children: Belinda M. Ishem (deceased), Sonja L. Stonework, Paul B. Woodlief, Jr. (deceased) and Gerard M. Woodlief.
In 1967 she met and married Ernest J Hill, and together, they were blessed with 2 children: Ernest J Hill, Jr, and Calvin E. Hill.
She attended St. Joseph's School of Nursing In Tacoma in the early 50's. It was always her life dream to become a Registered Nurse, but the sudden death of her first husband in 1958, her child Paul's terminal affliction with Sickle Cell Anemia, and the 'sudden' and 'continuous' overwhelming demands of a single African-American woman attempting to feed, raise and educate 4 young children in the late 1950's proved to be a monumental challenge in and of itself; and one that she achieved with an A+ grade. Marion retired from the Federal Government and continued to live a fruitful life. Her children, grandchildren and a host of others always knew they were loved.
As a testament to her dedication to ensuring that her children experienced educational opportunities that due to her own life circumstances, and social environment of the 50's and 60's, largely precluded women of color attending college, it must be noted that there are 5 Bachelor Degrees, 3 Masters degrees and a Doctorate degree spread amongst her 6 children.
There will be a memorial service at Mountain View Funeral Home (Aspen Chapel), 4100 Steilacoom Blvd. SW, Lakewood WA. The service will commence at 1:00 PM Sunday 10th January 2016, followed by a reception. We would ask that our Mother’s final wishes are observed, and In lieu of flowers, but please feel free to make a donation to a worthy cause instead.
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