Arlene E. (Goin) Hill

Rock

Arlene E. Hill, age 84, of Rock, died Friday, August 5, 2016 at 4:00 a.m. at

U.P. Health Systems Marquette following a brief illness.  She was born on June 20, 1932 in Escanaba, Michigan to the late Glen and Viola (Abbe) Goin.  Arlene graduated from Trenary High School in 1951.  In 1953, Arlene took the money she had saved from selling eggs at her farm to travel to Biloxi, Mississippi to marry Donald Hill at the Keesler Air Force Base on July 3, 1953.  Starting as an Air Force family, Arlene and Don were transferred to Fairchild AFB in Spokan, WA, Bentwaters / Woodbridge RAF in England, Scott AFB in Mascoutah, IL, and Travis AFB in Fairfield, CA, having a new child at each base. After being discharged from the Air Force, the family moved back to the Upper Peninsula where Arlene gave birth to their three Yooper babies, in Hancock.  Arlene was a hard working stay at home mom.  She made clothes for the girls while they were young, took long family drives, picnics, and always had a family meal ready at night.  While in Hancock, Arlene also worked as a clerk at Coast to Coast and Spurgeon Department Store.  After nearly thirty years in Hancock Don and Arlene moved to Bloomington, MN where they managed the Park Shore Apartment complex.  In 1993, they moved to Rock, MI, and Don started farming hay again at the Hill Family Farm, and Arlene took on the role of straw boss.  She always made sure everyone was hydrated, fed, and once in a while would even drive the wagon.  On top of her jobs at the farm, Arlene also worked at the Rock Mall and the Holiday Gas Station in Escanaba, alongside her daughters and granddaughters.  She enjoyed making puzzles, knitting “scrubbies” for everyone, traveling, celebrating her 29th birthday (she had fifty-five of them) and playing with her cats.  Always vowing never to get another cat, but then came Tiffany, Snot Box, and Kiisa.  Arlene was a member of the United Methodist Church in Trenary where she helped as a treasurer, made her famous baked beans for luncheons, and sang with the choir for a very short time.  The love Arlene and Don had for each other was easy to be seen by all, especially when they would dance, floating across the dance floor as one.

Arlene is survived by her husband of sixty-three years – Don Hill of Rock; children – Lorraine (Bob) Berg of Deerton, Annie Hill of Green Bay, WI, Valerie (Frank) Dlabik of Trenary, Alan (Tina) Hill of Plymouth, MN, Douglas (Debie) Hill of Trenary, Janet (Steve) Royer of Trenary, and John (Jacinda) Hill of Austin, TX; twenty-one grandchildren; nineteen great-grandchildren; sister-in-law – June Goin; and numerous nieces and nephews, many to whom she became mother to over the years.  She was preceded in death by her parents; and siblings – Robert (Katie) Goin, Virginia “Gin” (Joe) Brant, Fredrick Goin, Zeta (Bill) Shepley, Glen (Alice) Goin, Jr., Irene (Harry Manier, Jack Eleby) and infant siblings Amber and Vernon.

A memorial service will be held on Tuesday, August 9, 2016 at the United Methodist Church in Trenary at 11:00 a.m.  There will be visiting time from 10:00 until 11:00 a.m. before the service, and at the luncheon at church following the service.