Leslie Paul Hill

Leslie Paul Hill Sr., age 77, of Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, died Wednesday, November 25, 2015, at War Memorial Hospital in Sault Ste. Marie. He was born July 16, 1938, in DeTour, Michigan, to George and Catherine Marion (Bell) Hill. Leslie grew up in DeTour. After high school graduation he entered the United States Navy where he served from 1956 to 1960 as a corpsman with the 1st MarDiv, FMF Marine Corps. He married Maryjo Anne Robertson at the Sacred Heart Catholic Church in DeTour on November 14, 1959, and she joined him for the final ten months of his Navy service. They returned to DeTour where Leslie worked on the Drummond Island Ferry. In 1968, they moved to Sault Ste. Marie where Leslie worked for Soo Coin until he started working as a fireman with the City of Sault Ste. Marie. He retired as Captain in 1995 after 26 ½ years with the fire department. Leslie enjoyed hunting and woodworking. He made a stool for each of his grandchildren. As the children were growing up, the family enjoyed camping, especially in the Copper Country and Porcupine Mountains in the Western Upper Peninsula. The family also enjoyed many visits with relatives on Drummond Island. In more recent years, Leslie and Jo traveled each Thanksgiving to their daughter Traci’s home at the time, in Arkansas, Alabama, Ohio, and California. Leslie was a military aviation enthusiast. He watched aviation programs on television and attended Blue Angels airshows whenever he could. Leslie enjoyed the local sporting events his children and grandchildren participated in. When his health prevented him from attending, Jo came home with detailed reports of the games for him. Leslie also enjoyed watching sports on television, especially NASCAR, but also college basketball, Tiger baseball, and football. Leslie is survived by his wife, Jo; daughters, Teri (Kevin) McElroy of Roscommon, Michigan, Carmen (Dennis) Wagner of Sault Ste. Marie, Darlene (Paul) Killips of Sault Ste. Marie, and Traci (Fritz) Alexander of Sault Ste. Marie; son, Leslie P. (Joy) Hill Jr.; grandchildren, Brynne (Sean) Dotson, Courtney McElroy, Jonelle (Mark) Wakeman, Shauna McElroy, Kenny (Jenny) Wagner, Krystle Haynes, Kyle (Bonnie) Wagner, Kody Wagner, Brian Killips, Kevin Killips, Jenna Killips, Lindsey (fiancé, Eric MacDonald) Hill, Ryan Hill, Brittany Alexander, and Randy Alexander; and great grandchildren, Gavin, Dalton, Madalynne, Marlee, Landon, Lucas, Sylvia, Kevin, Olivia, Bella, Piper, Wren, Logan, and Addison. He is also survived by his brother, George Hill of Mt. Pleasant, Michigan; sister, Judy (Dallas) Chinavare of Essexville, Michigan; brother-in-law, Frank Bailey Sr. of Drummond Island; and sister-in-law, Betty Rutiger of Hessel, Michigan. Leslie was preceded in death by his parents; granddaughter, Lynne Marie Wagner; and sisters-in-law, Maxine Bailey and Bonnie Davis.

Tributes

Leslie Paul Hill

July 16, 1938 - November 25, 2015