Della M. Hill, 59, passed away at home with family around her on May 13 in Wasilla. A Mass of Christian burial will be celebrated at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday at Sacred Heart Catholic Church with the Rev. Fr. Bill Fournier, celebrant. Interment will be immediately following at Sacred Heart Cemetery.

Della was born on July 3, 1949 in Solomon to David Gregory and Rita (Sango) Gregory she was the second youngest of six. Della lived in Fairbanks and San Francisco. Della was raised in St. Mary’s and was taken good care of by the nuns that truly taught and cared for her a lot in her early years. While Danielle was in high school Della decided to go back to college and worked hard to try to get her Associate’s Degree but was unable to complete. Della worked full time as the best grandma/babysitter in the world since 2001. Della also had many clerical and legal work across Alaska. By the time Della was 8 years old she would dress herself and walk to the Catholic church in Fairbanks alone she used to tell Danielle. Della spent most of her time with her grandchildren whom she loved the most. When she wasn’t being a grandma/babysitting she would volunteer at her grandson’s school and help out whenever she was available. Della had many hobbies but No. 1 was, of course, her grandchildren, painting, poker, drawing, playing piano, bingo, sewing, Alaska Native crafts, cleaning and, of course, being outdoors tending to flowers or landscaping and loved her nieces and nephews a lot.

Della’s family stated this on the day she passed, “Della was a very family oriented person and is loved by all who knew her. She will be remembered most for the strength and resiliency she showed throughout her life, and she demonstrated to us all that your past does not determine your future.” Della stated this before she passed in her journal “by sobering up and being forgiven by her son-in-law she was allowed to die with dignity and self-respect”.

She was survived by her daughter Danielle (Hill) Apthorp and son-in law Chris Apthorp of Wasilla, grandchildren Chris and Andrea Apthorp of Wasilla, sister Lois Gold of Anchorage, brother Leroy Gregory and wife Jennifer Gregory of Everson, Wash., nephew Marvin Kernak and wife Tanya Kernak of Anchorage, nephew Sam Gutowski of Anchorage, nephews Travis and Donald Hill of Wasilla, and friend Grace Hill of Wasilla. 

Della was preceded in death by her parents David Gregory and Rita (Sango) Gregory, Brother Gilmer Gregory and brothers and sisters that have passed.

Arrangements are entrusted to Valley Funeral Home, Wasilla.