Catherine Hill

Catherine W. Hill, age 105, of Staples, passed away on Sunday Jan 7th at the Lakewood Care Center in Staples. A memorial service is planned for the spring. Catherine Wright Hill was born on December 24, 1901 in Des Moines, IA to Craig Tuttle Wright and Myra Thompson Dey. She attended elementary and high school in Des Moines the graduated from Sweet Brier Academy in the state of Virginia in 1919. In 1923 she graduated form the University of Iowa City with a bachelors degree in English. Catherine taught physical education in the Des Moines schools, worked in sales, as a comparison shopper and in other positions at Macys Department Store in New York, was a camp councilor in New Hampshire and at Holiday Camps near Hackensack, MN and was director of student activities for the Union at the University of Iowa. On October 14, 1933 she and James Edmund Hill, whom she met at Holiday Camp, were married at her parents home in Des Moines. They lived on a farm in the woods between Hackensack, Longville, and Walker until 1943 when it became too difficult to get their children, Myra Dey (Hill) King and Curtis Thompson Hill, to school in Longville. The family moved to a farm on a school bus route to Hackensack. In 1948 they moved to Pine River and in 1949 to Staples where Jim was employed by American Breeders Service. Catherine was active in the Hackensack Book and Thimble Club, PTA, Federated Womens Club, the Congregational Church in Staples, ST Albans Episcopal Church in Staples, and St Helens Episcopal Church in Wadena. In later years she enjoyed playing bridge and belonged to several bridge clubs. Her husband, Jim, died in 1986. She continued to live in her home until a fall, after her 103rd birthday, caused her to move to the Lakewood Care Center in February of 2005. Catherine is survived by her children, Curtis (Mary) Hill, of Boulder, CO, Myra King, of Staples; 5 grandchildren; 5 great grandchildren; and 1 great great grandchild. She was preceded in death by her husband, Jim; son-in-law, George King; grandson, James King; and great grandson, James Bremer. Memorials are preferred to the charity of the senders choice.