Lois Hill

Lois J. Hill, 92, passed away peacefully on May 19, 2016, at Lakewood Nursing and Rehabilitation Center surrounded by her loving family.

Mass of Christian Burial will be 10:30 am Thursday, June 9, 2016 with Rev. Jeremy Dixon C.M. officiating. Visitation will be at 9:30 - 10:30 at St. Columba Catholic Church prior to services on Thursday at St. Columba Church. She will be buried in St. Columba Cemetery.

Lois was born October 29, 1923 in Ottawa, Illinois to Edward and Margaret Dunn. She grew up in center Ottawa with her sisters Shirley Bayer, Cecelia Filippini, Dorothy Lahey, and brother Kenneth Dunn. They have all preceded her in death.

Lois graduated from St. Columba Grade School, Ottawa Township High School, LPO Junior College in LaSalle, and Northern Illinois University, eventually earning her master’s degree in Elementary Education. She married Duane Hill, March 30, 1951; he preceded her in death in 1986. She first taught at Hess School, which was a one room school house near Wedron, and another one room school house in Deer Park. She substituted in many rural schools including Sheridan, Waltham, and Rutland. She taught for many years in Serena Unit district II in Harding. Lois was a member of St. Columba Church, LaSalle County Genealogy, Ottawa Women’s Club, The VFW Ladies Auxiliary. Lois loved gardening, researching her family history, cooking, reading, her family, her church, children, dogs, Facebook, euchre, traveling, and playing the slots.

She will be missed by many including her daughter, Nancy, her husband, Mike Barta, her son Harold, her granddaughter, Lyndsey, her husband Mike McMillan, her grandson Jaerod, and his wife, Sarah, and great grandchildren Nolan and Luke Barta, and Truman and Lyla McMillan.

In lieu of flowers memorials may be directed to S. Columba Church Restoration fund.