Marilyn Dorothy Hill

HILL KENNEWICK, Washington - MARILYN GUENTHER HILL, 88. Marilyn Dorothy (Meidel, Guenther) Hill of Kennewick, Washington, formally of Eden NY and Lewisville NC, passed away Friday, July 4, 2008, at the age of 88. Born in Buffalo, New York on August 2, 1919, to Marie Ducro and Joseph Frank Meidel, she graduated from St. Marks Parochial Grade school in 1933, Mount St. Joseph' s Academy in 1937, and Bryant and Stratton Business College in 1938. Married in 1939 to the late George O. Guenther, a former Supervisor of the Town of Eden and Water Commissioner of Erie County Water Authority in Buffalo, New York. Residing in Eden, she was a member of the Eden Child Study Club, Eden Garden Club, Eden Home Bureau, Secretary of Eden Chamber of Commerce and member of The Women' s League of Women Voters. A devoted Catholic; Marilyn was a member of The Altar and Rosary Society, Bible Study Group, and Leader of the Bishop' s Committee for the Christian Home and Family of Immaculate Conception Church in Eden. Employed at Marine Midland Bank in Eden, New York for 18 years, she retired in 1978, remarried to the now late Bertram Hill, and moved from Eden to Lewisville, North Carolina in 1979. In North Carolina, Marilyn shared her enthusiasm for birding as a member of The Forsyth County Audubon Society and as the editor of its newsletter in 1979. Continuing her devotion to the Catholic Church, she became a pioneer member of what is now The Holy Family Catholic Church in Clemmons, North Carolina. She worked on the Communication Commission for this church; and, for several years, she organized the raffle booth at the annual Holy Family Christmas Bazaar. An active member of the Elizabeth Ann Seton Guild, she was elected and served as its historian for two years. She started a Prayer telephone line for the sick in 1985 which continues today. And she served as a Eucharistic Minister for local area Nursing Homes. Marilyn also enjoyed being an active member of The Holy Family Seniors, serving as one of its founders and as President from 1990-1991. Marilyn moved to Washington State during the summer of 2007. She lived a full, active year at Charbonneau, an independent living retirement community in Kennewick, Washington, before she died suddenly of heart failure. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her two sons Joseph and William Guenther. She is survived by her sons George J. (Virginia) Guenther of Eden, New York, Thomas J. Guenther of Raleigh, North Carolina, and daughter Linda (John) Neu of Richland, Washington; grandsons George V. Guenther of Fuquay-Varina, North Carolina, Jeffrey Guenther of Lancaster, New York, Glen Guenther and Tim Guenther of Raleigh, North Carolina, Billy Guenther of Buffalo, New York; three great grand children and two Sisters, Rosemary (Wilbur) Smutz and Jean (David) Causey. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Friday, July 11 from Immaculate Conception Church in Eden. Burial will be in the church cemetery. Arrangements by Laing Funeral Home Inc. Donations may be made in Marilyn' s memory to the Ann Seton Guild Scholarship Fund of Holy Family Catholic Church in Clemmons, North Carolina 4820 Kinnamon Road Winston-Salem, NC 27103.