- Date Of Birth: December 25, 1936
- Date Of Death: April 22, 2020
- State: Indiana
Mrs. Shirley A. Hill, 83, of St Joseph, MI, transitioned into Glory following an extended illness on Wednesday, April 22, 2020 at 12:47 pm. She was born on Christmas Day in 1936 in Duluth, GA to the late Paul and Odessa (Strickland) Howell. Paul brought his family to South Bend, IN when Shirley was 4, and was the first African-American machinist to be hired on at the Studebaker plant located there. On August 3, 1957, she married the love of her life Marshall Hill after meeting him at the First AME Church in South Bend, where he was a guest soloist in the choir from Canaan Missionary Baptist Church in Elkhart. Marshall served many years in the service of the city of Elkhart as one of their first African-American police officers. He passed in 2000 after 43 beautiful years together, thus preparing a place for Shirley to eventually join him in Glory.
Surviving to cherish her precious memory are her loving daughters Valerie Rawls of Atlanta, GA, Gyla (Randy) Thompson of Bristol, IN and Shelly (Huey) Madison of St. Joseph, MI; grandchildren Erica and Evan (LaShawna) Rawls, Randall (Morgan) Bond and Haley and Shelby Madison, and great granddaughters Erin Rawls and Emery Bond. Also surviving is a sister-in-law Esther Harper, brother-in-law Sam Dickens, special niece Stacy Adams and dear cousin (who’s more like a sister) Hattie Roberts; as well as a host of loving nieces, nephews, cousins, extended family and dear friends. Preceding Shirley in death are her sisters Lois Hawkins, Thelma Adams, Marjorie Perkins and Annie Dickens.
Shirley gave her life to her Lord at an early age, and that relationship served her well throughout her entire life. She was a 1954 graduate of Central High School (South Bend) and later became a para-professional for the Elkhart Community School System and an accountant at the Elkhart Housing Authority, retiring in 2001. She had an undaunting commitment to her family and children, and spent many years chauffeuring them and their friends around to assorted after-school activities, basketball games, piano and tennis lessons and the like. She always enjoyed looking fashionable, was an amazing cook, and loved to sew and read in her free time.
The family would like to gratefully acknowledge the special care and consideration given to Shirley by the Loving Care Home in Berrien Springs, MI; for the end of life care provided by her hospice team; for the home care provided by Lillian Lewis-Rollins, and to her dear friend Phyllis Davis, who supported Shirley and her family with kind words and deeds, as well as constant support, during her illness.
