Mom grew up right after the depression when times were hard. She had an older brother and sister, she being the youngest. I remember her telling me stories of when she was growing up in Red River County, Texas around Clarksville, and she always wanted to be a boy. That way grandma couldn't fuss at her for being gone off in the woods either hunting or fishing. She liked to follow her dad around also, when he worked. She never felt she was "wanted" by her mother. She grew up always going out of her way to do stuff for her parents, but it was never good enough. She quit school at 3rd grade, so after she got married in 1952, she self schooled herself. She later on become management in different businesses, she was always sharp as a tack. She was married to an abusive alcoholic, but she stayed and endured. Us kids always thought she was nuts, but I guess she loved him, I DO know she missed him after he passed away. She always had laughter in her eyes, always found the "fun" in situations if she could. She was admired by many, and I have no idea how many other children through the years that she "adopted" and added to the family. Our house was always the one to hang out in.
She had a "charisma" that I always envied, besides the fact that she was a beautiful woman. She had three children:

Donnie Gene Hill Dec 15, 1952 Nov 27, 1977
Connie Jean Hill Brown Mawk Feb 11, 1954
Vickie Lynn Hill Reid Feb 20, 1955

She was preceded in death by her son, and her husband, Billy Gene Hill. She passed away exactly 30 years to the day of her son. Shortly thereafter her great-granddaughter
Dana Nicole Rhoades-Hughes 1992-2008
joined her.

During her marriage they relocated to the western states, West Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona. They finally purchased a home and lived many years in Paulden, Yavapai Co., Arizona. That is where they were living when Dad passed away and where Mom was living before we went to Hobbs, New Mexico to visit family for Thanksgiving and Mom passed away from a long 3 year battle with cancer in the Lubbock Hospital