Jean Hill

HILL, JEAN ELIZABETH MCGINNIS —Jean McGinnis Hill passed away peacefully at her home on Saturday, March 7, 2020 at age of 79. Her life was guided by her deep Christian Faith which was displayed in her everyday life. She was a very generous loving person. Jean was the elder of two daughters born to Fay and Harriet McGinnis October 6, 1940 in Norfolk, Nebraska. The McGinnis family moved to Roswell, NM in 1948 where her father opened up a small grocery store on West 2nd St and eventually opened up the McGinnis hardware store in Hagerman, New Mexico. Jean graduated from Roswell High School in 1958 then attended Eastern New Mexico University in Portales, New Mexico and then attended TCI.J in Fort Worth, TX where she graduated in 1962. After graduation from TCU she returned to Roswell where she worked for her father at his Hardware Store in Hagerman, New Mexico, and also as a church secretary for First Christian Church in Roswell, New Mexico.

On March 26, 1969 she married her high school sweetheart Albert Hill and they purchased 10 acres west of Dexter, New Mexico where they spent the rest of their lives together. March 26, 2020 they would have celebrated 51 years of a wonderful and full marriage.

Jean retired from the Roswell Police Department after serving 16 years and devoted her time playing the piano for her church Redeemer Evangelical Lutheran Church. Jean loved to work with the young children at the church. Jean loved music and cats. Pictures of Jean as a little girl on the farm in Nebraska had her always with a cat in her arms. Living on their 10 acres in the Dexter area, feral cats were abundant. Jean continued her love of cats and would collect the young kittens, doctor them and find homes for them.

Jean loved to travel. She and Albert would travel to Norfolk, Nebraska to check on the McGinnis Farm where Jean was born. Jean also loved to travel to Laughlin and Las Vegas, Nevada to see Debbie Reynolds. Debbie's Aunt and Uncle lived next door to Albert's parents in Roswell, New Mexico. When Jean and Albert went to Nevada to see Debbie perform Albert and Debbie would always spend some time talking about her Aunt and Uncle. Jean in her last 3 years traveled with her husband who had retired from the Roswell Police Department in 1998 and was a Contract Special Investigator for Homeland Security and conducted investigations in New Mexico and West Texas. In August 2019 due to Jean becoming ill Albert retired from investigative work and spent the remainder of their lives together on their 10 acres working on projects and taking care of Jean's rescued cats.

Jean was preceded in death by her parents Fay and Harriet McGinnis who had retired in Lincoln, New Mexico and a niece Mindy Vassar. Jean is survived by her husband, Albert of Dexter; her sister, Nancy Vassar and her husband, Duffy in Big Spring, Texas; a niece, Melinda McReynolds and her husband in Midland, Texas; a nephew, Mark Vassar and his wife in Big Spring Texas, and her brother-in-law Tommy Terrell of Roswell, New Mexico.

A visitation will be held Wednesday, March 11, 2020, 5:00 PM- 7:00 PM at LaGrone Funeral Chapel.

A funeral service will be at 10:00 AM, Thursday, March 12, 2020 at LaGrone Funeral Chapel. Pastor Dale Jones will be officiating.  A graveside service will be held at 2:00 PM, Thursday, March 12, 2020 at The Capitan Cemetery, Capitan, NM.

Pallbearers will be Tommy Terrell, Frank Brennan, Troy Grant, John Homer, Jerry Bringheimer, and David Zimdars.