Elsie Hill

Elsie Hill passed away peacefully at the Palmer Pioneer Home on April 23, 2016, at the age of 98.

Elsie was born in Kingwood, West Virginia, on July 1, 1917, to Isaiah and Agnes Jeffers. Her family operated a farm with a variety of livestock and crops in the Whetsell Settlement on the Cheat River across from Kingwood. Elsie worked on the farm but also attended school, graduating from Kingwood High School then attending business school. During World War II she worked on the ration board.

In 1946 Elsie’s uncle, Jim Felton, from Palmer, Alaska, came to visit. Jim had moved to the Matanuska Valley around 1916 from West Virginia. He talked Elsie and her cousin, Chuck Shaver, into coming back to Alaska with him.

When she arrived in Palmer, Elsie found work right away. She worked part time at the Mat Maid Co-Op and part time at the local school as the secretary. The following year she worked as a clerk at Koslosky’s Department Store.

While working at Koslosky’s, Elsie met a handsome gold miner just back from the war. He was mining at the head of the Susitna River. The family never knew whether it was his vehicle, a WWII Jeep with a cab resembling an outhouse, or the dashing personality of Lloyd Hill that won her over. Elsie and Lloyd married on Valentine’s Day in 1948.

From that day their life would be non-stop, raising a large family, being employed and involved with numerous enterprises. They started in gold mining, then to farming, back to gold mining, then to soapstone mining. The soapstone enterprise led to Elsie becoming a carver who sold many pieces both locally and to tourists. Many of her pieces are located across the United States. She made sure her children received a good education. At one time, she was president of the PTA. Elsie was an avid reader, sometimes sharing the knowledge. Many a family member received “Putting Food By” and “The Power of Positive Thinking.” She read about healthy eating and vitamins long before it became a fad, and lived her life accordingly.

At the age of 65 Elsie retired, along with Lloyd, to a life of subsistence living. They hunted, fished, picked berries, and raised a beautiful greenhouse and apple orchard. Putting food by was second nature to Elsie. Her canner and food saver were always busy.

Elsie is survived by her son, Henry, and wife Bambi and son, John, and wife Karen; daughter, Kathy and husband Tim McKenzie; and daughter-in-law Minnie Sue Hill. Also by 18 grandchildren and step grandchildren, as well as too many great-grandchildren to count. Elsie was preceded in death by her husband, Lloyd Hill; son, Chris Hill and son, Steve Hill.

The family plans a celebration of life for Elsie in the near future to be announced at a later date.