This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Surnames: WIND, HILL Classification: Obituary Message Board URL: http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/msg/rw/mkB.2ACI/340 Message Board Post: ELIZABETH MARY (BETTYE) HILL ("MeeMaw" to those near and dear to her) of Baytown and Houston, Texas passed away peacefully March 21, 2005 at the young age of 103. Born September 25, 1901 in Schulenburg, Texas to Joseph and Maria Wind, Bettye spent the first sixteen years of her life in this small town attending Catholic schools, doing daily house chores that often times included farm labor as picking cotton, and dreaming of a bigger and better world. Moving to Houston in 1917, she and her sister Peggie immediately found employment as switchboard operators with the telephone company. Soon thereafter she met the love of her life, Calvin Winters Hill, and her dreams began to come true. Bettye and Calvin married January 15, 1921. They were blessed with four children, John, Margaret, Doris and Gloria. The family's bonding years were in Ingleside, Texas where from 1930 to 1945 Calvin was employed by Humble Oil & Refining Company and Bettye was the organizer, chauffeur and doer for! her children and their many activities. She sewed beautifully, making most of the clothes and all of the dance costumes for her three daughters. Bettye was active in the PTA, the Ingleside Women's Club giving book reviews, help open and manage a small ready to wear department in Ingleside's only hardware store and organize and play a solid first base for the Ingleside Boosterettes, the Humble Company's Ladies softball team. Humble Oil closed the Ingleside refinery in 1945 and relocated Bettye and her family to the refinery in Baytown, Texas where she soon became better known as MeeMaw. With a growing family, MeeMaw became even more involved in providing loving direction and inspiration to her children, making a stronger commitment of devotion and service to her church, Saint Joseph's Catholic Church in Baytown, and becoming top salesperson in ladies better dresses at the Baytown J.C. Penny store. MeeMaw moved to Houston to live with her sister Peggie Voss shortly after Cal! vin's unexpected death in 1961. The two sisters quickly became insepar able, always on the go, always doing for others and always together. MeeMaw also worked full time in the downtown Sakowitz store as a salesperson in ladies better dresses until retiring in 1972. But she still had things to do and worlds to conquer. At age 72 MeeMaw taught herself to type so she would be more proficient in her new job, along with her sister Peggie, as secretary at Sacred Heart Co-Cathedral Church. Retiring again from regular hours in the late 1980's, MeeMaw, with her sister Peggie, continued to remain active in her commitment and devotion to her church and family by attending daily mass, preparing and delivering sandwiches for the less fortunate, and chauffeuring her sister and other lady friends to various church and family activities. In 2000, after a lengthy bout with pneumonia, MeeMaw and her sister moved to the Vosswood Nursing center where they have resided until MeeMaw's peaceful passing. A beloved sister, wife, mother, grandmother, great grandmother, ! great great grandmother and friend, she will long be remembered by the family and friends for her endearing love and her zest for life. She leaves a legacy of caring and doing for others as a way of life for those who knew her and loved her. In addition to her husband Calvin, MeeMaw was preceded in death by her brother Albert Wind, and in early 1983 by her adored middle daughter, Doris Mae Hargus. MeeMaw is survived by her son John Harvin Hill and daughter Mary Margaret O'Sullivan, both of Baytown; daughter Gloria Elizabeth Hill Gentry and husband Frank of Houston; sisters Gesela (Peggie) Voss and Marian Owen, twelve grandchildren, thirty three great grandchildren, eleven great great grandchildren, numerous cousins, nieces, nephews, and countless friends. The family expresses their heartfelt appreciation to Bryant Burton Home of Health and caregivers Freda, Lillian, Loretta, Dannette, Tamara , Anuitra, and to the entire staff at the Vosswood Nursing Center. Visitation will ! be from 4:00 pm to 9:00 pm with a rosary at 7:00 pm Wednesday, March 2 3, 2005 at Earthman Downtown Chapel, 2420 Fannin. The Funeral Liturgy will be held at 10:00 am on Thursday, March 24, 2005 at Sacred Heart Co-Cathedral, 1111 Pierce. Interment will follow at Forest Park Lawndale Cemetery. A Memorial Service will be held at 10:00 am Saturday, April 2, 2005 at Sacred Heart Co-Cathedral Catholic Church, 1111 Pierce St. Published in the Houston Chronicle from 3/23/2005 - 3/24/2005.