Ken Hill

Unconditional in his love, Ken Hill was a man of integrity, who gave his all in everything he did with uncompromising perfection. He was a meticulous perfectionist with a strong devotion to the principles of both hard work and family. A wonderful husband, father and grandfather, Ken loved his family dearly and wanted only the best for them.

1944 was a historically important year for people in the United States and abroad. As Franklin Roosevelt began his second term as President, the Battle of the Bulge began as Germans penetrated the Allied front in Belgium. While the war continued to be waged overseas, life for Floyd and Phyllis (Thomas) Hill of Toledo, Ohio was much simpler. They both worked to provide for their family – Floyd was a factory worker and Phyllis was a “Rosie the Riveter” during the war. In the summer of 1944, the couple was delighted to add a new bundle of joy to their family with the birth of their son, Kenneth, on June 22nd.

Ken was an energetic and adventurous young boy. He and his older brother liked to pal around together, going fishing, playing sports and jumping off roofs – typical boy stuff. Ken also enjoyed learning about astronomy and naming the stars. When Ken was about 10, his family moved to Bronson, Michigan and remained here until his junior year in high school. While in Bronson Ken enjoyed playing defensive end on the football team. They then moved to Kalamazoo, where Ken attended Kalamazoo Central and graduated with the class of 1962. He then pursued a career in law enforcement and became a Kalamazoo Police Officer, but eventually left because of the “politics.”

In 1966, Ken followed the same patriotic calling of other young men of the time, and enlisted in the U.S. Navy (that was just before he would have been drafted). He proudly served on the USS Hornet out of Long Beach, California as a Weather Observer. After receiving an honorable discharge from the Navy in March 1971, Ken moved out to Colorado for a while before returning home to Kalamazoo and enrolling in classes (chemistry) at Kalamazoo Valley Community College. In 1973, Ken began his 25-year career at Upjohn, working in the fermentation tanks. In 1976, he dedicated his life and was baptized as a Jehovah’s Witness. In 1979, he left Upjohn for a short time to try his hand in the restaurant business, opening the Hill Village Restaurant in Tekonsha. However, he closed the business after only a year and went back to Upjohn in 1980. Just before Pharmacia bought Upjohn, Ken took an early out and retired in 1998. He was then hired by a consulting firm in 2000 to do the same job at Upjohn, but he left in 2006 to go back into law enforcement. He went to work for Securitas Security Services, which provided security for Pfizer.

Although Ken had a fulfilling career, it was apparent that his most important job in life was being a loving and devoted husband and father. Ken met his beautiful wife, Suzanne McCreight, at an apartment complex he was living in; she was there planting flowers. Their first date was to her brother’s graduation party from WMU, and after that their romance quickly blossomed. Six months later, Ken and Suzanne were happily married on December 10, 1982, in Kalamazoo, and honeymooned at his mother’s house in Florida. Suzanne brought more than just her love into Ken’s life. She had three children of her own, Rebecca, Paul and Peter, and Ken was thrilled to welcome them into his life. From the start, he loved them like his own and eventually adopted them in 1990. Ken enjoyed teaching them how to play sports, but most importantly, the value of hard work.

The family of five moved around the area a bit, living in Plainwell, Otsego, Mattawan and Paw Paw, where they put down roots for the last 12 years. Ken and Suzanne enjoyed working together in their garden, and loved to take trips to Florida in their younger years. Ken was also very handy around the house. The military had taught him structure and organization, so everything he did had to be perfect. When he wasn’t working on something around the house, Ken enjoyed a leisure day of fishing on 3 Mile Lake, or watching TV, particularly the River Monster Show and all the different judge shows. His love for his grandchildren was also very apparent, as for their love of him. He enjoyed his time holding them and they likewise enjoyed their time with PaPa. His eyes would light up at the very sight of them, and they felt his love and returned it to him with giant hugs only suitable for PaPa.

On Friday, Ken was driving home from the store and tragically crashed after suffering an Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm. He underwent surgery for 4 hours, but just wasn’t able to recover. Ken died on Saturday, June 5, 2010, at the age of 65. As a loving husband, father and grandfather, Ken will be deeply missed. His example of sacrifice and commitment serves as an inspiration to all who knew him.

Services will be held on Monday, June 7, at 7:00 p.m. at the Jehovah Witness Kingdom Hall (60755 M-40, Paw Paw). He was preceded in death by his parents. Surviving is his wife of 27 years, Suzanne Hill; 3 children: Rebecca Jo (Todd) Soprych, Paul Joseph (Natalie) Hill and Peter Richard (Monica) Hill; 6 grandchildren: Keylieanna, Jaden, Brody, Benjamin, McKenna and Caoilainn; 2 siblings and many nieces and nephews. Memorial contributions may be made to the Jehovah Witness Kingdom Hall or American Heart Association. Please visit Ken’s personal web page at www.lifestorynet.com where you may share a memory or photo with his family or sign his online guest book.