Darlene Hill, (81) those whom she loved, called her, 'Hon, Mom, Nan, Nanner Bananer, Nanny, Sis, Aunt and Friend, ventured through life with her infectious smile, is now with her Lord and Savior, and loved ones gone before her, in her eternal home.
Heaven needed an angel, so God sent for her; making heaven shine brighter. Darlene had been battling dementia and declining health for the last few years but lived a very rich and full life. Survived by her husband of 59 years, Hollis, her three children, Barbara (Fred) Sorensen, Wayne (Tina), Lowell (Brenda), grandchildren, Renee, Wayne Jr., Kassondra, Collin and Garrett (Kiara and Keegan), her sister Ginny, along with great grandchildren and many nieces and nephews.
Darlene spent her childhood years in Southern California with her parents and sister. She was born in El Monte California, December 23, 1940. Her mother died as a young woman, but her "Daddy" played a major role in her childhood. Her parents were very loving and provided many happy memories such as working in the garden, trips with the kids and their friends to the beach, camping in the High Sierra's and many other outdoor activities popular in sunny California.
As a young woman, she met a man visiting California from Michigan; Hollis was quite a charmer and he fell for her warm and loving personality, along with her infectious smile. After a few months they were married in Las Vegas. They spent their early years of marriage and had their three children in California. Neither Barbi nor Wayne were fond of new baby brother Lowell and pleaded with Darlene to "take him back" to where she got him. Deciding that California was not a place they wanted to raise children, they packed their belongings, kids, and their family dog Sam, and headed east. They settled in Empire, Michigan for a few years, then to Glen Arbor, before finding their forever home in Maple City; spending 40 happy years, where she passed in the family home, which was her wish.
Darlene retired from the Glen Lake School as a teacher's aide. After retirement her tremendous work ethic and love of people didn't stop there, she took on several part-time gigs such as server at Glen Lake Inn, and a housekeeper for Hill Haven Resort as well as Leelanau Vacation Rentals in Glen Arbor.
Among her many memorable adventures, one took her on an Alaskan get away with husband Hollis and his brother Earl. They trailered a small camper to Alaska and back, over a period of three months in 1995. That same camper would serve "Nanny" and the three oldest grandchildren for an annual camping trip to Leelanau Pines for a week every summer. Renee, Wayne Jr. and Kass enjoyed many happy days and evening campfires; don't forget the smores; with Nanny sharing that little camper. They rode bikes, went swimming and explored the campground. Another adventure took her with son Lowell, and his wife Brenda on a 7-day Caribbean Cruise! She also enjoyed walks almost anywhere, but a favorite being walking along the shores of Lake Michigan at Port Oneida hunting for Petoskey stones.
Being so far from her family home in California, Darlene looked forward to her visits with her sister, Ginny, who still lives there; while visits were infrequent, they were highly cherished. They enjoyed bonfires, boating, dinners out, and visits with loved ones. Oh, and maybe a glass of wine or two?
For many years, she was an active member of the Eastern Stars, attending meetings at her lodge in Empire, joining in 1970; upon that closing, she transferred to the lodge in Traverse City.
She never passed a stranger without flashing her infectious smile. That smile was famous upon meeting a group of strangers and in a very short time, she would have made another group of new friends. Now she's God's newest ambassador and angel with arguably the one with the biggest smile!
"Those we love don't go away; they walk beside us every day. Unseen, unheard, but always near, still loved, still missed, and forever dear."
In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to Mayo Clinic Alzheimer's Disease Research. Please follow the link below and select 'Alzheimer's Disease Research' from the drop-down menu -
https://philanthropy.mayoclinic.org/page.aspx?pid=1506&msclkid=bc920a8cbaae15dd3657684fcd809607
(Alzheimer's is the most common form of dementia, a general term for memory loss and other cognitive abilities serious enough to interfere with daily life.)
The family will not be holding a service and will be having a private celebration of life at a later date. Kindly share thoughts and memories at www.reynolds-jonkhoff.com .