Jimmy Ray Hill

Jimmy and Betty Jo Hill

During the evening of February 14, Betty Jo passed away, shortly followed by the passing of Jimmy the morning of April 5. Jimmy and Betty Jo were long time residents of Clinton but recently resided in Oklahoma City.

Jimmy was born to George and Vivian Hill in 1934, in Clinton, OK. He graduated from Clinton High School in 1952. After graduation he began working for Oklahoma Gas Company. In 1953 he joined the United States Marine Corp and during his time in the Marines, he played on the Marine Corp football team. He served in the Marine Corp for 3 years, the Oklahoma Army National Guard for 9 years, and the United States Army Reserves for 24 years. He retired from the military in 1991 as Division Command Sergeant Major. He served in the Korean War and Desert Storm. He graduated from SWOSU with a Bachelor Degree in History Education and received his Master’s in Education. He was an assistant football coach and History teacher in Clinton, head football coach and History teacher in Snyder, worked for the Oklahoma Vocational Rehabilitation at the Granite Reformatory, and retired from Clinton’s Vocational Rehabilitation office on January 1, 1988. During his retirement years he worked as the ISS Supervisor at the Clinton Middle School for 5 years.

Betty was born to AP and Hilda Schmidt in 1935, in Clinton, OK. She attended Parkersburg School until 8th grade in which she attended Clinton Junior High School. She graduated from Clinton High School in 1953. After graduation she began her career working for Southwestern Oklahoma State University in Weatherford, the State Vocational Rehabilitation Department in Clinton, and Western Oklahoma Plains Library System in Clinton along with being a housewife and mother. She retired from the Oklahoma Department of Transportation in 1995.

October of 1955, Jimmy and Betty Jo were married at the First United Methodist Church of Clinton, and together they raised four children. Daughter, Jo Morast of Wylie, TX, son, Greg Hill of Cordell, OK, daughter, Karen Wilson of Yukon, OK, and daughter, Shawn Clark of Burleson, TX. They enjoyed being with their many grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Jimmy’s many activities include president of the Clinton Kiwanis Club, organized the Key Club, president for the Mayor’s Committee of Barriers to employment for people with a disability, served on the Clinton United Methodist Church board, and as post commander of the American Legion Post #41 in Clinton. He enjoyed playing golf and watching football.

Betty Jo was a charter member of the First Mennonite Church in Clinton, Memorial Chairman for the Custer Co. Cancer Society, a member of Beta Sigma Phi Chapter in Clinton, past President of the American Legion Auxiliary, a member of the Junior Service League, and a charter member of the Rebecca Circle of the First United Methodist Church of Clinton. She along with her husband Jimmy, enjoyed traveling throughout their lives.

They are preceded in death by Jimmy’s parents, George and Vivian Hill, Betty Jo’s parents, AP and Hilda Schmidt, their grandson Darren Hill, her siblings, Mary Thomas, Irvin Schmidt, and LaVeta Rogers, his brother-in-law David Pearson, her brother-in-law Beryl Thomas and Floyd Manning, her sister-in-law Pauline Schmidt, their nephews Jason Pearson, Buddy Manning, and James Rogers, and their nieces Debbie Hill, Paula Hayen and Meryl Thomas.