Larry Frank Hill

Larry Frank Hill deeply loved his family, many of whom surrounded him with love and

music on December 2, 2021, as he passed from this life and is now waiting for the

Resurrection to unite us once more.

Larry was born in Kalamazoo, MI, on June 28, 1944, to Howard Thomas Hill and Sarah

Jane (Fradet) Hill. His young life was spent with the family following his father's welding

jobs in Colorado and Arizona. When he and his two younger brothers, Wayne (Sarah)

and Bob (Nancy), started school they settled in Flagstaff, AZ, remaining there for all the

boys' school years. Larry always respected his father for sacrificing higher paying jobs

so the boys could have a stable school life.

He graduated from Flagstaff High School in 1962 and attended Grand Canyon College,

earning a bachelor’s degree in secondary education in 1966. His college years were

always remembered fondly, especially the many choir tours and good friends made. He

planned to attend Northern Arizona University to earn his master’s degree, but instead

volunteered for the draft, landing in Vietnam right as the Tet offensive began. He was a

fire direction control specialist with the U.S. Army, earning awards and medals for

National Defense Service, Vietnam Campaign, Expert Rifle (M-14 & M-16), Good

Conduct, and Army Commendation.

Upon returning to Arizona, he began teaching science at a junior high school. Soon

after that, he moved to Portland, Oregon, to attend Western Seminary.The highlight of

his time there was a summer-long study tour to Israel. Right before earning his Master

of Divinity, he was asked to take a pastorate in Austin, CO. During that time, he also

taught in a Christian school in Montrose.

He retired in 2009 after 24 years with the US Postal Service as a clerk and a carrier.

Among the many jobs in his hard-working career were working in the construction trade,

pruning and picking in fruit orchards and selling insurance.

Over the years, a passion of Larry's has been studying and teaching the Bible. Larry

loved gardening, raising bushels of produce to can, freeze, and share. He loved

hunting and fishing, especially while hiking into the Black Canyon of the Gunnison with

his boys. In recent years, he has done some special woodworking projects.

Larry and Dolly, his wife of over 40 years, lived in the Cedaredge, Eckert, and Delta

areas from 1981 – 2014, when they moved to Orchard Mesa outside Grand Junction.

He is survived by his beloved wife Dolly (Dolores Mae Mead), and his 10 dear children,

Josh (Marcie) Hill and Rebekah (Clint) Reed, who were born to the union of Larry and

Dolly. They also had the blessing of raising William Mize as their own from an infant.

From his first marriage to Sharon Johnson, four children were born - John (Jana) Hill,

Ben (Bonnie) Hill, Julie Stokes, and Lori (Ken) Vogan. Peter (Tamara) Miles, Leah

(Joel) Gates, Daniel (Christina) Miles were from Dolly's first marriage to Mike Miles.

Larry deeply cherished them all. Larry and Dolly share 38 grandchildren and 5 great-grandchildren, whom they adore. His faith and family were the parts of his life he valued most.

He believed in the Messiah as his Savior, that the whole Bible is the Word of God, and

that it applies to our lives today. His life motto came from Jesus' words in Matthew

22:37-40, that state how we must love the Lord our God with all our hearts, souls, and

minds; and, equally important, love our neighbors as ourselves.

Burial will take place at a private family ceremony at Veterans Memorial Cemetery,

Grand Junction, CO, with military honors. Friends are invited to a Celebration of Life on

January 22, 2022, 1:00 pm at New Horizons Foursquare Church, 641 Horizon Drive,

Grand Junction, CO.

Friends and family are invited to express condolences and memories of Larry on this

site.

Memorial contributions can be made to The Pregnancy Center, https://pregnancycenter.

org/.