Mary Hill Obituary

WHITE PLAINS, N.Y. — Mary Alice (Johnson) Hill, 86 years old, of 25 Riverdale Avenue, White Plains, New York; entered into eternal rest on the evening of Tuesday January 5, 2021, in White Plains, New York. She fought a long bout with several illnesses, including Alzheimers. Although not in the best of health, she participated in an annual Alzheimers Walk to help raise monies to help fight the disease.

Mary Alice (named after her Aunt May) was born in Newberry, South Carolina on August 20 (same day as her Aunt Inez), 1934, to Hattie Bell and Eugene Johnson. Mary Alice was the sole child of that marriage. She then formed a very close loving relationship with her stepfather, Elazurs Ruff. She was predeceased by her mother and fathers; husband, Sylvester Hill and son, Sylvester Renard Hill.

Surviving her are; son, Reginald C. Johnson of White Plains, New York, two daughters, Verdell Hines and Renee Hill; three grandsons, Ajene Reginald and Davon Renard Johnson, and Stanley Admaad Martin; and one granddaughter, Anika Sade Hines; several brother and sister-in-laws, including brother-in-law, Leon Hill of New York City; and a close cousin who was more like a sister, Jo Patrica Adams of Newberry, S.C., and many, many other close family and friends.

Mary Alice attended public schools in Newberry and was affiliated with Calvary Baptist Church in Newberry and later became a member of Union Baptist Church in White Plains (Greenburgh), New York. She loved going back to visit her many family and friends that attended Calvary.

Mary Alice left Newberry and spent sometime in Philadelphia. She also lived in both Harlem and Elmsford (N.Y.) for several years before becoming a permanent resident of White Plains (Greenburgh).

Mary Alice initially wanted to go into nursing, but she soon found out that the hospital environment was not for her. She held several jobs in dry cleaning before taking time off to raise a family and rounded out her career, working for A&S Department Store.

Mary Alice was raised in a very close knitted extended family, headed by her matriarch mother Hattie Bell. Although the only child, she grew up surrounded by her four aunts (Addie, May, Inez and Sue) and numerous cousins that were more like brothers and sisters, in addition to her many lifelong friends. She always put family first and carried and passed on this torch to those she raised and those she came across in her life.

Mary Alice made sure that her children had a chance to be exposed to family values by sending them on their annual summer vacation to stay with Hattie Bell. She established a close "family" friendship with her close neighbors.

In addition to family, Mary Alice had three other loves, cooking, gardening and traveling. Anyone driving down our street in the springtime frequently stopped and stared and commented on her beautiful roses. Like Hattie, no one left her house hungry as she loved to cook for both family and friends. While she never got her drivers license, she probably traveled more miles than many. She really enjoyed her annual trips to Newberry, Greenwood and Greenville S.C., Washington D.C. and Oklahoma, visiting family and friends alone the way.

Although small in stature, Mary Alice was referred to as *"a small piece of leather, well put together"

Her lessons and love will live on.

Published by The Newberry Observer from Apr. 7 to Apr. 8, 2021.
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