Former Claremont resident Barbara Ann Hill died on May 20, 2009 in San Jose.

Ms. Hill had been suffering from declining health the past several years and is now at peace, shared the family.

Born in Geneva, Illinois on March 1, 1938 to Russell and Mabel Perusse, Ms. Hill had an older brother, James, and was raised in Batavia, Illinois until the age of 12 when her parents divorced. At this time, she moved with her mother and brother to Orlando, Florida.  There, she graduated from Edgewater High School and went on to attend Webber College in Babson Park, Florida.  She majored in fashion retail and graduated with her AA degree in 1958. 

Ms. Hill then moved to Chicago to pursue a job as an assistant buyer at Chas. A Stevens, a high-end women’s clothing store.  It was in Chicago that she met her future husband, Willard “Bill” Hill.  They were married on March 26, 1960 in a Lutheran Church in Batavia, Illinois and moved to Naperville, Illinois in 1962. 

At this time of life, Ms. Hill quit working to await the birth of their first son, Steven Carlson.  Two years later they had another son, Todd Andrew, who unfortunately died of SIDS when he was 13-days-old.  In 1966, they had a daughter, Leslie Ann.

The following year, Ms. Hill and her family moved to Tucker, Georgia and then, in 1970, they moved again to Seattle, Washington.  In 1973, their son James Willard was born.  Their next move took them to Danville, California in 1974.  In Danville, Ms. Hill was very active with the Newcomer’s Club and enjoyed her life caring for her family.

In 1976, Ms. Hill and her family settled in Claremont. She soon began work at Griswold’s Gift Shop as an assistant manager and buyer.  After a decade and then a year off, she opened a women’s clothing shop in downtown Claremont with Betty Sanford, who, along with her husband, Sandy Sanford, owned Griswold’s for many years.  Unfortunately, their store, “Elisabeth Holroyd,” had to close after 3 years.   

In 1992, Ms. Hill and her husband separated.  She began to enjoy her new life visiting with friends and working part-time at a hair salon. 

In 1993, she suffered her first stroke.  After this first stroke, Ms. Hill never regained the use of her right arm and needed the assistance of a cane for walking.  Despite these limitations, she lived independently for 10 years, enjoying an active life visiting friends and doing volunteer work with disabled children at the Casa Colina Rehabilitation Center. 

“Barb possessed a strong and valiant character which helped her to overcome great adversities in life,” wrote her cousin, Janet Daniels, in a remembrance.

In 2003, Ms. Hill had several more strokes that left her unable to live on her own.  She moved to San Jose to be close to her daughter, Leslie, and son, Steven.   She loved being close to her grandchildren, going out to lunch and the movies and having her nails done.

“She had a sunny personality and a great laugh, and was well liked by everyone,” wrote her daughter.

Ms. Hill is survived by her husband, Bill Hill of Arizona; her sons and daughters-in-law, Steven and Laura Hill, also of Arizona, and Jim and Rhonda Hill of Texas; her daughter and son-in-law, Leslie and Darrell Shen of San Jose, California; and by her 7 grandchildren, Connor, Katie, Andrew and Duncan Hill, and Kylie, Ashley and Erin Shen. 

Family and friends will gather in Chicago over the upcoming Fourth of July holiday to honor and celebrate Ms. Hill’s life.