Obituary
ELKHART -- Adabelle M. Hill died early Sunday morning, Aug. 21, 2011.
She was born Nov. 14, 1918, in Iowa and grew up in Union City. On Dec. 24, 1941, she married George R. Hill. He died in 1981.
She is survived by her son, John R. (Robyn Batley) Hill of Elkhart; grandchildren Karyn L. Hall and Joshua B. (Erica) Hill, all of Kalamazoo, Mich.; and three great-grandchildren.
Adabelle graduated from Ball State Teacher's College in 1941 and served as a Red Cross volunteer in Washington, D.C., during World War II while George was stationed overseas. She began her teaching career in Portland. After a family move, she taught art in Vestal and Maine, N.Y., until her retirement from public school teaching. She earned a master's degree in art history at the State University of New York at Binghamton. Following her husband's career as a newspaper editor and publisher of the Vestal News and Tempo of the Towns, they moved to Hillsdale, Mich., in 1978 where he became editor of the Hillsdale Daily News. Adabelle was an active professional watercolorist spending many summers painting and teaching art history at the LaRomita School of Art in Terni, Italy. She was also a member of the Michigan Watercolor Society, Southwest Michigan Watercolor Society and an active member and leader of the Hillsdale County Art Guild. Until her recent move to Elkhart in 2009 to be closer to family, she taught art lessons to both children and adults in Hillsdale.
She was a member of Hillsdale United Methodist Church teaching Bible study classes for many years. She also served several terms on the board of the Hillsdale Community Health Center.
Adabelle loved learning and was a purposeful learner up to her final days. Her life's mission was to guide others to learn.
A family graveside service will be held in Union City. A memorial service will be in Hillsdale in the near future.
Memorials may be sent to the Hillsdale County Art Guild or Hillsdale United Methodist Church. Billings Funeral Home, 812 Baldwin St., Elkhart, has been entrusted with her arrangements.
She was born Nov. 14, 1918, in Iowa and grew up in Union City. On Dec. 24, 1941, she married George R. Hill. He died in 1981.
She is survived by her son, John R. (Robyn Batley) Hill of Elkhart; grandchildren Karyn L. Hall and Joshua B. (Erica) Hill, all of Kalamazoo, Mich.; and three great-grandchildren.
Adabelle graduated from Ball State Teacher's College in 1941 and served as a Red Cross volunteer in Washington, D.C., during World War II while George was stationed overseas. She began her teaching career in Portland. After a family move, she taught art in Vestal and Maine, N.Y., until her retirement from public school teaching. She earned a master's degree in art history at the State University of New York at Binghamton. Following her husband's career as a newspaper editor and publisher of the Vestal News and Tempo of the Towns, they moved to Hillsdale, Mich., in 1978 where he became editor of the Hillsdale Daily News. Adabelle was an active professional watercolorist spending many summers painting and teaching art history at the LaRomita School of Art in Terni, Italy. She was also a member of the Michigan Watercolor Society, Southwest Michigan Watercolor Society and an active member and leader of the Hillsdale County Art Guild. Until her recent move to Elkhart in 2009 to be closer to family, she taught art lessons to both children and adults in Hillsdale.
She was a member of Hillsdale United Methodist Church teaching Bible study classes for many years. She also served several terms on the board of the Hillsdale Community Health Center.
Adabelle loved learning and was a purposeful learner up to her final days. Her life's mission was to guide others to learn.
A family graveside service will be held in Union City. A memorial service will be in Hillsdale in the near future.
Memorials may be sent to the Hillsdale County Art Guild or Hillsdale United Methodist Church. Billings Funeral Home, 812 Baldwin St., Elkhart, has been entrusted with her arrangements.
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