John W. "Jack" Hill
Marriages
Zella Heiner Hill - December 27, 1943
Burial Details
Obituaries
Free E. page 9 - November 27, 2014
John W. Hill 1924-2014.
Former Eagle resident John W. Hill passed away peacefully Oct. 17 at Canyon View Community Hospital in Frutia.
A funeral service was held Oct. 22 at the Fruita Assemble of God Church and the interment at New Elmwood Cemetery with full Military Honors, Pastor Lynn Slaughter presiding.
Jack Hill celebrated his 90th birthday in April with his family in Eagle. He was born in Wildhorse, Colo. in the early 1920s to Walt Hill and Catherine (Connelly) Hill. In 1936 the family moved to work on his uncle’s ranch on east Lake Creek south of Edwards where Jack lived until he moved to Gypsum to attend high school. On Dec. 27, 1943 Jack married Zella Heiner of Eagle. To this union, three daughters were born and Jack and Zella celebrated 58 years of love and marriage together before Zella’s passing in 2004.
Jack was a dedicated husband, father and grandfather. He was awarded the honorable name of Papa Jack after becoming a great-grandfather. He enjoyed gardening and going to ball games as well as to dances. Most importantly he looked forward to spending time with his family, especially his grandchildren. Jack resided in Eagle County from 1936 to 1990 before moving to Fruita.
He served in the Army during World War II, worked on several area ranches and at the Castle Peak Dairy as well as at the sawmill in Eagle. He retired from the Eagle County Road and Bridge department after 27 years.
Jack and Zella started with very little and raised their family following the Great Depression and the war effort, which they survived because of their family values of stewardship and hard work.
Jack was preceded in death by his father Walter Hill, mother Catherine “Kate” Ginther, stepfather Bernard Ginther, brother Bill Hill, sister Eileen Morris and in-laws William “Bill” and Ruby Heiner, Florene and Lou Fenno, Naomi and Frank Schlutter, Margie and Wayne Peach, Velora “Toots” and Myron Hall.
He is survived by his three daughters, Lois and Ed Schultz of Elbert, Colo.; Linda and Tom Kempton of Eagle; and Sharon and Tom Kirkpatrick of Loma, Colo. Jack has seven grandchildren, thirteen great grandchildren and two great-great grandchildren whom he loved.
The family would like to express its gratitude to the caregivers at the Willows and at the Canyon View Community Hospital in Frutia along with Pastor Slaughter and the Palisade Funeral home and the Grand Valley Combined Honor Guard.