Patsy Anne McCracken Hill, 87, died peacefully on May 25, 2022, in Milan, Missouri where she was a resident of Sullivan County Memorial Hospital’s long-term care wing.
Patsy was born on October 8, 1934, to Lelia (Burk) and George F. McCracken in Trenton, Missouri. She attended Trenton schools. During high school, Patsy served as the yearbook editor and the president of the Pep Squad. She loved school and learning and graduated from high school in 1952. She attended Trenton Junior College for one year while she worked and saved money so she could pursue her dream of becoming a registered nurse. She earned a scholarship to Saint Luke’s School of Nursing in Kansas City, Missouri, and graduated from there in 1956.
She married Charles Richard Hill, also of Trenton, on August 19, 1956, at the Baptist Church. The couple moved to Columbia, MO while Richard attended college and Patsy began her nursing career. After graduating from college, Richard and Patsy moved back to Trenton. The couple had three daughters Julie, Jennifer, and Jeri Anne.
During her nursing career, Patsy worked at Wright Memorial Hospital in a variety of roles. In the late 1960s, she and Maude Ryan were selected as the first instructors for the Trenton Junior College licensed practical nursing program. In the early 1970s, Patsy won the job of school nurse for the Trenton R9 School District and served in that capacity for 25 years.
In retirement, Patsy served on several civic boards, volunteered at different organizations, and enjoyed her grandchildren. She loved to read and go to the movies, and she listened to all types of music, but especially loved songs from Broadway Musicals. During her life, she was a member of the Beta Sigma Phi sorority and the DAR. She was a member of the Wesley United Methodist Church and assisted in many activities.
Patsy was the Hill and McCracken family nurse and took care of her mother-in-law, her parents, her husband, and many others. Patsy was a caring person who always had time to listen to her family and friends. She was kind, fair, generous, intelligent, and truly a beautiful person inside and out. Her children, friends, and family admired her willingness to accept life as it came and make peace with the rollercoaster that life is. She was able to live independently until the last six months of her life after a hip fracture on Thanksgiving 2021. She put in the hard work to come back from that incident but eventually succumbed to the stress of that recovery.
Patsy was preceded in death by her husband, Richard; her daughter, Jennifer Hill Tye, her granddaughter Katherine Tye; her parents; and her brother, Jerry McCracken.
She is survived by her daughters, Jeri Anne Herington of Milan, and Julie Hill Lehr of Whitefish Bay, Wisconsin. Her sons-in-law are Marty Herington, Scott Lehr, and Doug Tye. She is also survived by her sister, Barbara McCracken Rowlen, of Anderson, Indiana; and grandchildren Andy Herington (Norma); Sarah Herington Wulff (Brandon); Becca Herington Phillips (Justin); Brinn Hill; Brett and Matthew Tye. Her great-grandchildren are Aileen, Lucas, Olivia Herington, Ben Wulff, and very soon Charlie Wulff due in June. She is also survived by many cousins, nieces, and nephews.
Her family will hold a visitation at Resthaven Mortuary, 310 N. Highway 65, on Thursday evening June 2 from 5 to 7 pm. Her celebration of life will be held at the Wesley United Methodist Church at 11 am on June 3, with graveside services to follow directly afterward.
In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations to the Hill Scholarship at the Wesley United Methodist Church, 113 E 9th Street, in Trenton. Please send checks to the church with the Hill Scholarship noted so that your donation reaches the right account.
Patsy’s family wishes to thank the staff of Sullivan County Memorial Hospital for their loving care of Patsy during the last six months, and cards, visits, and well wishes from so many of her family and friends.
