Apr 4, 2018

Helen Harris Hill, 100, of Indiana, died Thursday, March 29, 2018, in Windy Hill Village, Philipsburg.

She was born in 1918 in Burgettstown, a daughter of the late George and Mary Harris.

Helen grew up on a farm in Burgettstown with her parents and five brothers. She sat in front of Ralph Hill in school, where he would write their initials on her back with the eraser of his pencil. She learned to dance with Ralph in the gymnasium during school lunch break.

She attended Normal School, now Indiana University of Pennsylvania, completed her teaching certification and taught three grades of students in a one-room schoolhouse in Primrose.

She and Ralph were married April 8, 1942, and they honeymooned in New York City, N.Y.

Helen lived with her parents while Ralph served in the U.S. Army in Europe during World War II. Following the war, she lived in Pittsburgh, Richmond, Va. and Shadowood Village since 1959, where Ralph served as a controller of Robertshaw Controls Co. She spent three summers in Long Beach, Calif., with Ralph and their four children. She and Ralph traveled to Hawaii, Alaska and Canada and made yearly trips to Wyoming, Montana and Wildwood, N.J., with their children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Helen was a member of St. Bernard of Clairvaux Roman Catholic Church, Indiana.

She was very active in and belonged to many organizations, including St. Bernard’s and Newman Center choirs, Shadowood Women’s Organization, where she had been president, bowling league and Shadowood Women’s Walking Group.

Surviving are four children, Judith E. Carloni of Johnstown, Ralph Edwin Hill (Marilyn Mueller) of Altoona, George Nelson Hill and wife Janet L. Hill of Indiana and Mary Ellen Hill Yonushonis and husband Jim of Philipsburg; grandchildren Louis Carloni and wife Karen of Baltimore, Md., Elizabeth Hill of Hollidaysburg, Amanda Lockwood of Johnstown, Jenna Borstnar of Johnstown, Jeffrey Hill and wife Christina of State College, Greg Hill and wife Annah of Indiana, Joseph Hill (Megan Smicklo) of Indiana, James Yonushonis and wife Meredith of Kennesaw, Ga., Melanie Yonushonis Smith and husband Christopher of State College and Megan Yonushonis of Falls Church, Va.; and great-grandchildren Ashlyn and Abriana Campagna, Victoria and Joseph Carloni, Michaela Borstnar, Christopher, Michael, Anthony and Jonathan Hill, Jeanice, Leannah and Brooke Hill, Clare, James David, Mary Kate and Adeline Yonushonis and Trinity and Damian Smith, whom she nicknamed “Little Buster.”

Deceased, in addition to her parents, are her husband, Ralph C. Hill, who died September 6, 2006; five brothers, John, George, Michael, Amos and Edward Harris; a grandson, John Edwin Carloni; and a great-grandson, Allizaire Michael Lockwood.

Friends were received Sunday in Bowser-Minich Funeral Home, Indiana. A funeral Mass was celebrated Monday, April 2, in St. Bernard of Clairvaux Roman Catholic Church, Indiana. Interment will be private.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to St. Bernard of Clairvaux Roman Catholic Church, 200 Clairvaux Drive, Indiana, or to Indiana Regional Medical Center, 835 Hospital Road, Indiana, PA 15701.