Margaret Hill

March 4, 2023 Margaret Josephine Mims Hill was born in Midland, Texas on December 1, 1926, the daughter of Midland native Percival "Percy" J. Mims and wife Maurine Littlejohn Mims, who traveled by train from Tyler, Texas, in 1921 to serve as Midland's first homemaking teacher. In 1943, at age sixteen, Margaret graduated from Midland High School, then attended Texas State College for Women (now TWU) for two years, and in 1947 graduated from TCU with a Bachelor of Science degree in business commerce, minoring in economics. Returning to Midland, she worked for two years for Sinclair Oil & Gas in downtown Midland. In September 1949, Margaret married Felton D. Henry from Sweetwater, Texas, and in 1951-together with a 1-year-old daughter-moved to Odessa, Texas, where she lived for the next 70 years. Her city of residence changed, however, in 2020, due to the Covid pandemic. She and her daughter Susan relocated to a home in Midland, to isolate and live a somewhat normal life. Remaining there for the next three years, Margaret passed away at home, on March 4, 2023, with her daughter and wonderful caregivers at her side. These three years together were special in so many many ways, becoming a full-circle return to the city of her birth and childhood. Margaret was a housewife until 1960, when she became a single mother. That year she started her working career at Prudential Insurance Co., before working for Ref-Chem Company, then Windecker Research Inc., the West Texas Education Center in Midland, and then retiring in 1991 with 20 years of service for the Ector County Independent School District in the Administration Building. She had wonderful bosses along the way, many becoming lifelong friends. In 1976, she met and married Billy Joe "B. J." Hill who adored her. Together they owned and operated an oil field equipment trucking/hauling company, where there was never a dull minute with its always-evolving twists and turns. B. J. kept Margaret on her toes with his many spur-of-the-moment ideas. She really enjoyed their fishing trips and traveling together. They were total opposites, yet complimented each other perfectly. Sadly, he passed away in 1992. In 1938, at age 8, Margaret first attended Bloys Camp Meetings in Fort Davis, TX. It was a long and hard trip to Fort Davis in those days, sometimes waiting hours for the water in the Olympia Creek crossings to subside. Before her family built a one-room cabin, they originally stayed in tents. Attending 83 times total, she saw many changes in the camp over the years and heard what she believed were some of the best sermons ever preached. Margaret introduced B. J. to Bloys, originally known as a cowboy church camp and founded in 1890 by Presbyterian minister Rev. W. B. Bloys. Regularly attended by ranchers far and wide, in 1902 Baptists, Disciples of Christ, Presbyterians, and Methodists incorporated the camp. Because B. J. was a cowboy through and through, Skillman Grove at Bloys became his and Margaret's all-time favorite place in the world. She grew up in the First Baptist Church of Midland, where her dad, brother, and nephew were deacons. In the early 50s, after moving to Odessa, she transferred her membership to Belmont Baptist Church where she remained a devoted member. Her greatest loves were first the Lord, then her daughter and son-in-law Glenn, her extended family, Bloys, her church, friends, and her country. Margaret was humble, loyal, faithful, honorable, patriotic, and modest in life. As a meaningful joy to her, over the years, she silently supported veterans and those who were less fortunate. Margaret enjoyed traveling to New York City in the 70s to visit her daughter. Other favorite destinations were New England during fall-foliage months; Hawaii; Branson MO; various destinations in Texas, Louisiana, and Arkansas; and cruising through the Panama Canal, the Caribbean, and to Alaska. The Holy Land was still on her bucket list. Many times over and over, she counted her blessings. She could have been the eternal victim but, instead, charged ahead as a single Mom, picking herself up, raising her daughter, and moving on-following the loss of a very large family investment in the early 80s-and then living a number of years as a widow. She did not complain but was positive and strong during the hard times. Her faith carried her through. She was always grateful. Preceded in death by her husband Billy Joe Hill, parents Percy and Maurine Mims, brother James Mims and wife Mary, nephew David Mims, and niece Nancy Mims Geers, she is survived by her daughter Susan Henry Busch and husband Glenn of Azle; niece Martha Mims Manulik and husband Matt of Midland; Becky Mims of Columbiana, AL; 5 great-nieces and nephews; 9 great-great-nieces and nephews (in Midland; Fort Worth; Waco; Durango, CO; and Richmond, VA) and Jerry and Lea Geers of Odessa. She loved her Belmont Sunday school class members. Their home visits meant so much during the last three years. Other special people in her life were Sandy Stillwell and D'Ellen Reedy, who she considered part of her extended family. The Mims family has resided in Midland for over 140 years, with Margaret being the last of the Midland-born Mims generation from the early 1900s. A graveside service will be Monday, April 3, 2023, 11:30 a.m., at Fairview Cemetery in Midland, where she will be honored, and her life full of God's grace will be celebrated. In lieu of flowers, memorials made in her name to the following are greatly appreciated: "Means-Evans Camp" at BloysCampMeeting.org or by mail to Means-Evans Camp % Doug Colquitt 6624 Longfellow Drive Dallas, TX 75230 Nancy Jo Mims Geers Scholarship Permian Basin Area Foundation 3312 Andrews Hwy Midland, TX 79703