Shirley Anne Hill

Shirley Anne (Heintz) Hill, 84, passed away on Thursday, April 9, 2020, at Morrow Home Community, Sparta, Wisconsin, with daughters Jennifer and Kristen by her side, due to complications of stroke. Shirley was born at her home at 420 Avon Street in La Crosse on June 12, 1935, to Michael and Marion (Mary Zinser) Heintz. She grew up on the Lower Northside alongside her sisters Maxine and Diane, attending St. John the Baptist Catholic School and later, Aquinas High School, from which she graduated in 1953. She married Elmer “Sonny” Hill on September 10, 1955. Together they began raising their first three of five children, Michelle, Thomas, and Daniel, while both working full-time jobs, a rare occurrence in the 1950s and 1960s. Shirley and Sonny later moved to Green Bay, Ottumwa, Iowa, and Hutchinson, Kansas, finally settling in Kewanee, Illinois, where Jennifer and Kristen joined the family.

In 1979 Shirley and Sonny returned to La Crosse. Sonny passed away in 1987, and Shirley went back to school while working and raising her youngest daughters on her own. She obtained an Associate of Applied Science degree (Administrative Professional) from Western Technical College and went on to work for the School District of La Crosse as an administrative assistant for 21 years. Shirley would wake up at 3:30 am in order to be at work to call in substitute teachers. She retired in 2011 at the age of 76! Her later years were spent in the company of her daughter Kristen and son-in-law, her “buddy,” Steven. It is a testament to the good care she received from them that, though diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease in 2016, she was able to remain independent and home with family up until her final illness.

Shirley is survived by four of her children: Michelle (Rudy) Hill Ayala, Daniel Hill, Jennifer Hill, and Kristen (Steven) Leuck; three grandchildren: Brian, Matthew, and Nicholas (Gloria Gutierrez) Gorsline; great-grandchildren Audrina and Mason Gorsline; sister-in-law Louise Heintz; brothers-in-law Harold Strittmater and Darrell (Marilynn) and Donald Hill; many nieces and nephews; and beloved kitty companions Frank and Lola. She was preceded in death by son Thomas; infant daughter Lisa; her husband; her parents; and siblings Florian, Natalie Iverson, Vivian Hill, Maxine Kane, and Diane Strittmater.

A private Catholic funeral mass will be held on Tuesday, April 14 at 10:30 am at Mary, Mother of the Church parish with Father Brian Konopa officiating. A private graveside service and burial will follow at Gate of Heaven Cemetery. Family and friends are encouraged to view a live stream of the mass on the Mary, Mother of the Church YouTube channel, which can be accessed at http://mmoclacrosse.org/ . A public Shirley celebration will be held at a later date. Shirley expressed that she preferred memorials be given in place of flowers to the School District of La Crosse and the Coulee Region Humane Society. The family wishes to thank the staff at Gundersen Lutheran Medical Center Orthopedics and Morrow Home Community for taking care of our mother over the past few weeks.

Shirley will be remembered by her children for her Catholic faith; her strength, resilience and determination; her kindness; her quirky sense of humor; her gorgeous auburn hair, green eyes, and warm smile; her love of Pepsi and Peeps; and her crazy math abilities. Most of all, she will be remembered for her fierce love for us. We love you so much, Mom. We will try to live by the example you provided us through your life. We know you are with your family now. We wait until we are able to see you after a little while.