Connie Hill; 1936-2008

Connie and Katelyn (3 1/2) Dec. 2003

Connie, Katelyn (4) and Brittany (2) Dec 2004

Connie and Jackson (2) February 2007

Kevin's mother, Connie Hill, passed away on September 26, 2008.

Connie Hill was born Constance Laing in Fettercairn, Scotland,April 1936, to Alexander and Mary Laing. Her father, Alexander, worked at the local whiskey distillary. Connie grew up in Edzell, Scotland, where she later worked at the US Military Base there. She met Kevin's father at the base,where he was stationed, and they married in the late 1960s. They moved to the states shortly afterwards.

Connie had two children, Pamela and Kevin. (Pamela is 5 years older than Kevin). After Paul retired from the military; the family moved first to Indiana, then to Iowa and finally settled in Blue Springs, Missouri in 1987.

I first met Kevin's mother in 1994, when Kevin and I started dating. She had recently suffered from a stroke and was stil rehabilitating from it. Kevin always told me that I should have known his mother before the stroke, because of course, a stroke can change a person. The one thing Connie's stroke could not change was her love and admiration for her son. It was apparent right away that Kevin's mother thought Kevin hung the moon! She took pride in everything Kevin did, especially his success in school and his success on the baseball field.

A few years later, Kevin and I got married and Connie became my mother-in-law. After Kevin's dad (Paul) retired from his job at the Lake City Armory (located near Blue Springs), Paul and Connie moved around quite a bit. They lived near us twice, the first time when we lived in Houston and the second time here in Edmond. I know it was enjoyable for Connie to be close to Kevin and her grandchildren. By the time they moved to Edmond in November of 2004, we were aware of Connie's diagnosis with Alzheimer's.

I am thankful Connie was able to be near us, even if it was a short time. I know she loved seeing Kevin and her eyes always lit up whenever Kevin came over. In the fall of 2006, Connie had to be moved to a nursing home. She lived in the Lutheran Home in Cape Girardeau for about 2 years. Kevin's sister Pamela, who resides in Cape Girardeau, Missouri, visited her daily and cared for her at the nursing home those last 2 years.

Even with Connie's passing, she will always live on. Kevin looks so much like his mother. And Katelyn has Connie's eyes. We are saddened now that she is gone but also relieved that her suffering is over. As we grieve for Connie, we are reminded that she is in heaven with our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. And that helps make this process a little easier.