James Riley Hill Jr., 88, life-long resident of Anderson County died Saturday, Feb. 26, 2011, at Flint Hills Care Center in Emporia after a long illness.
Riley, as he was known to most people, was born July 18, 1922, on the Hill farm northwest of Colony to James R. and Adeline (Bonfils) Hill. He grew up on the farm, attended Cedar Creek and Welda schools. He later enlisted in the U.S. Army, fought in World War II, was wounded and returned home. He met and married Katherine Louise Hensley of Warrensburg, Mo., on Oct. 29, 1945, in Colorado Springs, Colo. They lived in Missouri until late 1947 when James Sr. died and Riley came back home to take over and run the farm.
Besides a non-living son, Jody, born in Missouri in 1947, the family continued to grow over the next 20 years with two girls and six boys, Janet and her husband, Jerry Sexton, Gardner, J.R. III and his wife, Rita, Loudon, Tenn, Jerry and his wife, Janee, Emporia, Rick and his wife, Debbie, Parker, Colo., Randy and his wife, Glenda, Humboldt, Justin and his wife, Lisa, and Judi and her husband, David Wolfe, Wichita, and Jon and his wife, Jennifer, Americus.
Besides running the farm, he also worked for several years as a carpenter on many projects in Kansas City and the surrounding areas until he retired. With most of the children grown and gone from home, he and Katherine moved to Colony in 1987. Over the next several years, they enjoyed traveling and visited almost every state until illness slowed them down. One of his hobbies was rebuilding old farm tractors and he always had a few small farm animals around to look after. Over the past years he liked to keep in contact with old army buddies in his unit, but now, very few if any remain. He enjoyed genealogy and while traveling visited long lost family members found during his research.
He was preceded in death by his wife of 64 years, Katherine in 2009, a son, Jody, in 1947, daughter, Judi in 2002, and a half brother, James Edwards, and a half sister, Cecil (Hill) MacEachron.
Along with the seven surviving children are also 15 grandchildren and 18 great-grandchildren.
Funeral services will be at 11 a.m. Thursday at the Waugh-Yokum & Friskel Memorial Chapel in Iola. The Rev. Mark McCoy will officiate.
The family requests no flowers, but memorials may be sent to the Colony Christian Church. Online condolences for the family may be left at iolafuneral.com.
James Riley Hill Jr.
