Mildred Mariana Hill

Millie Hill was born Mildred Mariana Talan on September 19, 1939 in Peepeekeo, Hawaii to her late parents, Teresa A Talan and Ariston R Talan. Both parents were from the Philippines; Teresa from Cebu and Ariston from Mindanao. Millie grew up in Hawaii with her older sisters Conchita (Connie) and Angelita (Angie), and brothers Ruperto (Perto), Ariston (Sonny), and Erwin Dumancas. Nicknamed “Inday”, she was the youngest and vivacious girl of the family. She spent most of her childhood in Kaneohe, where she enjoyed participating in many school and social activities, clubs, events, creative classes, dancing, musical activities, and listening to soft/mellow country music. From a very young age, Millie was very popular, socializing and spending time with her many friends. Millie worked at Kukui donut shop during high school to help support her many school activities.

In 1957 Millie met her late husband Reuben Hill while he was stationed at Kaneohe Bay Marine Corps Base. They moved to California when he was transferred, and soon married and settled down in the Bay Area. Over the next several years, they had four children -- Theresa Antoinette, Elizabeth Ernestine, Reuben Anthony and Michael Leonard. Millie was very active in her children’s school and social activities, applying her creative skills to help support their events. She worked to support her family and cared for the children as a doting housewife and mother, while Reuben served in Vietnam and Okinawa. The Marine Corps transferred the family between Oakland, Twentynine Palms, Oceanside and San Diego until he retired in 1974.

In 1980, a few years after their divorce, Millie relocated back to the Bay Area where she began a new chapter in her life. She embraced rainbows as a symbol of new beginnings and hope. She made many new lifelong friends working at KMart in Newark, CA; many of them remained close long after she retired. You couldn’t miss her during that time; she always wore a colorful flower in her hair and a huge smile on her face, always making her customers feel welcomed and happy. Millie took the lead in coordinating activities for holidays and special events like birthdays, anniversaries and graduations. She loved Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year’s, patriotic events like July 4th, Memorial Day and Veterans Day. If it was cause for celebration, Millie was at the center of the fun. Millie loved traveling, sightseeing and anything outdoors -- fishing, Yosemite, the Grand Canyon, the Redwoods and anywhere near the beach or the ocean.

If you knew Millie, you know that her favorite color was red. You could see her coming or going a mile away traveling in her shiny red truck, with her beloved dog “Missy” in the back or at her

side. She had a passion for country music and line dancing. Even her Country and Western attire would be sparkled with red, the flower in her hair a red carnation. As a member of the “Red Hat Society”, Millie’s life was enriched by spending time with like-minded women through the power of fun and friendship. (Plus, she got to wear a red hat in the process!)

As her children began raising their own families, Millie shared special moments with them whenever she could. Throughout the years, she was blessed with four children and their spouses and partners, nine grandchildren, eight great-grandchildren, as well as an extended family of nieces, nephews, cousins and their families. Always immensely thankful and grateful

for her loving family and friends, she enjoyed helping and sharing time with them whenever possible. Millie was always very giving and generous with her time and anything she could do to make others happy.

Millie continued living her life to the fullest into the new century as a resident of Eden Lodge in San Leandro. She enjoyed spending time with her neighbors and friends here. Always open to embracing technology, she quickly mastered use of the computer and internet, using her undeniably popular creativity to help make the place look happy and cheerful. Always the sociable one, she utilized Facebook to maintain longtime friendships and family bonds across the miles. During this period, she also became very active in Hula dancing making more lifelong friends. This was especially pleasurable to Millie, since she could combine her love of music, dancing, memories of growing up in Hawaii, and enjoyment of spending time with friends.

Millie passed away peacefully on July 12, 2017 at Eden Medical Center in Castro Valley. She wanted her family and friends to know that she loved them, and that her passing is a time of personal growth for everyone, including her; and that memories of her life should give us joy and not sorrow. These thoughts made her final days meaningful. She is survived by her brother, Perto and wife Apat and their children and grandchildren; sister-in-law Regina Dumancus and her children and grandchildren; her daughter Theresa and children Tamar, Antoinette, TJ, Viona, Ebonee, Ivory and eight great grandchildren (Micah, Leniya, Jordan, Michaela, Kennedy, Aleigha, Camilla and Tylani); her daughter Elizabeth and husband David; her son Reuben (Tony) and children Reuben, Jr., Rachel, Isaiah and one great grandchild (Kimora); her son Michael and wife Eva; and nieces and nephews and their children and grandchildren who reside in Hawaii, the mainland and even Hong Kong. You are missed and loved our beloved “Meer”, “Inday”, “Aunty Millie”, Millie. Rest in peace.