Alma Lou Hill

Alma Lou Nelson Hill, 78, of Houston, Texas passed away Thursday, February 9, 2012. She was born November 20, 1933 and was preceded in death by her husband, Jack Michael Hill, parents, J. R. and Eunice Nelson of Woodbine, Texas and brothers Robert Irving Nelson, James Edward Nelson and Carroll Everett Nelson.

Alma graduated from Gainesville High School in 1951 and North Texas State University in Denton, Texas with a B.S. in Education in 1963.

Alma married Jack Michael Hill on September 20, 1951 in Gainesville, Texas. They moved to Houston, Texas in 1964 where they raised their children and celebrated 52 years of marriage.

Alma’s first teaching position was in Argyle, Texas. Once in Houston she taught at Spring Branch Elementary where she touched children’s lives for over 35 years, including substituting after retirement. Her enthusiasm for reading and nature was a blessing for Spring Branch Elementary gardens and habitats. Her kind guidance and patient way of leading children to do the right thing will be remembered by many. She earned the designation of Master Teacher and received numerous awards and recognitions, including Teacher of the Year and lifetime membership awarded by the PTA.

Alma devoted countless hours of faithful service to many organizations, including the Lottie Moon Chapter of Eastern Star in Gainesville, Texas, a Chapter Mom of her son’s DeMolay chapter in Houston, Texas, Rebecca Crockett Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution, and a long time Sunday School teacher at First Baptist Church of Spring Branch.

Her appreciation of life and simple beauty of nature brought those around her to see the grandness of simplicity. She taught us all to be giving, loving, and a more accepting person. She always left a place better than when she entered it, usually with a grace for gardening.

Poetry writing was a special insight into her appreciation life and will stay as a legacy for her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren for many years to come.

Alma , a loving and devoted mother, is survived by 2 children, daughter, Cathy Hill Gabriel with son-in-law, Larry Gabriel, and son, Michael Nelson Hill with daughter-in-law, Janice Petty Hill. Three grandchildren were honored with her love, Christina Gabriel Hattenbach and her husband, Sean Hattenbach, Robert Michael Hill with fiancé, Kaitlin Speer, and Thomas Nelson Hill; and one great-grandson, Robert Ahren Hattenbach. Sister-in-laws, nieces, nephews, and cousins are all grieving her passing.

Memorial services will be held on Monday, February 12, 2012 at 7:00 p.m. at Terrace United Methodist Church on Wirt Road in Houston, Texas.

Visitation will be held at Geo. J. Carroll and Son funeral home in Gainesville, Texas from 9:00 to 10:00 a.m. on Thursday, February 16, 2012. Funeral services will begin at 10:00 a.m. on Thursday with interment to follow at the Nelson Grove Cemetery in Woodbine.

For those desiring, memorial contributions may be made to the Nelson Grove Cemetery, 7729 FM 678, Gainesville, TX 76240.