Marvin L. Hills, age 82, passed away on Tuesday, February 7, 2023 at his home in Deepwater, Missouri.
Marvin Lowell Hills, a life-long resident of Deepwater, Missouri was 82 years old when he met Jesus on February 7, 2023. Marvin was born on May 5, 1940 to James Frederick (Fred) and Christine (Redding) Hills. He was the second born of their five children, Fred, Marvin, Larry, Johnny, and Rosanne. He accepted Christ as his savior at a young age while attending the Methodist Church in Deepwater.
Marvin has reunited in heaven with his parents, brothers, great-granddaughter, Sophie Schlagle, his niece, Wylie Drury Brown, paternal grandparents (Wiley and Grace Parscale Hills), maternal grandparents (Lenno and Mary Helen Fields Redding), great-grandparents, and many aunts, uncles, cousins, and friends.
Left with an abundance of memories of Marvin are his wife of 60 years, Wanda Lou (Ferguson) Hills, originally from Elaine, Arkansas, their three daughters, Stephanie Hills Robinson of Blue Springs, MO, Brenda Hills McGarry (Tim Bangert, fiance’) of Shawnee, KS, and Teresa Hills Danner (husband Tim) of Osceola, MO. He has 6 grandchildren - Stephanie’s children, Danielle Hull Smedley (husband Mitch) and Lucas Robinson (fiance’ Kelly Lien), Brenda’s daughter, Presley McGarry, and Teresa’s daughters, Kylie Lyon, Davin Lyon Schlagle (husband Chris), and Kiersten Danner. The family tree continues to include his 11 great-grandchildren - Danielle and Mitch’s children, Mason and Grant Smedley, Kylie’s children, Layne Schuster, Faye and Anson McAdams, Davin and Chris’ children, Maverick, Kendrick and Oakley Schlagle, and Kiersten’s children, Gracelynn Stewart, Randy and Emersyn Taylor.
Marvin also leaves his loving sister, Rosanne Hills Drury, sister-in-law Peggy Sue Hills Underwood, sister-in-law Sue Hills, aunts, cousins, nieces, Stacia Hills Wilson, Donna Hills Hughes, Christy Hills, nephews, Shannon and Shane Hills, Blaik Wirsig, great-nieces, great-nephews, and many friends.
He was always well known in the area for his immense passion for basketball and older model cars. He was one heck of a ball player in high school and college and was the youngest basketball player ever to be named All-American while in high school as a Deepwater Demon. Many folks traveled a lot of miles to watch Marvin play ball. His brother, Fred, also an outstanding basketball player, shared a passion for automobiles too, and at one time, Marvin and Fred had a car lot in Clinton that many of you may remember.
As a young man, Marvin worked with his grandfather on the farm, and his father hauling coal. He went on to own and operate Marvin Hills Concrete Company, worked at Peabody Coal Company, and later retired from Local 101, Heavy Operating Engineers.
Marvin loved the United States flag, the National Anthem, and eagles. He was thankful for service-people and our veterans. He was also a staunch Democrat his entire life! He had a variety of interests in addition to family, basketball, and automobiles. As a younger man he loved to travel out west, hunt, and fish – spoonbill, catfish, crappie and noodling were his favorite outdoor activities. He could always problem- solve and fix most anything. Later in life he became interested in his family genealogy, United States vintage coins, was a huge fan of his and Wanda’s pets - Hoot and Abbi, and enjoyed listening to classic country music, watching sports and western movies on TV and strongly believed that either duct tape or electrical tape could fix anything!
Marvin requested in lieu of flowers that you save your money and spend it on fun times with your own family members.
Funeral services were held February 13, 2023 at the Vansant-Mills Chapel, Clinton with Rev. David Mills, Jim Raysik and Tim Bangert officiating. Special music included “Amazing Grace.” The casket bearers were Brenda Hills McGarry, Shane Hills, Brad Smart, Shannon Hills, Kyle Neuenschwander and Wilson Hills. Interment followed in Deepwater Cemetery, Deepwater, MO.
Services were under the direction of Vansant-Mills Funeral Home of Clinton, MO.
