Isiah "Ike" Hill Jr.

At the end of a hard and courageous fight to defeat his recent illness, Isiah Hill, Jr., returned in spirit back to God by peacefully slipping away in the earlier morning hours on January 23, 2021, at his home under the steady and faithful care of his fiancée, Tina Beavers, and watchful eyes of his adorable chihuahua companions: BooBoo, WeeWee, LaiLai, Freckles, Speckles, CeeCee, Priscilla, BaiBai, Bella, and Greystone.

The following is written for the comfort and joy of those who may have known Ike, but little about his true self, by sharing a few of the fondest memories of the fun and happy days and proud times we had together, and yes, some traumatic times as well.

Isiah (later nicknamed ‘Lil’ Ike’ as dad was ‘Big Ike’ – no reference to stature implied), was born on May 23, 1963, 5:30 a.m. (CST), @ 8 lbs., 3 oz., at the Cordell Memorial Hospital, Cordell, Oklahoma, to the proud parents of Isiah and Louise Hill. Fresh out of his mother’s womb, Baby Ike was a charmer, determined to garner up as much attention as he could get. Growing up under the “tutelage watch” of his older Sister, ‘Nita, and brother, Bobby, he became fondly known by family members as the “spoiled brat” of the Hill’s household, a childhood caricature that stuck with him throughout his adolescence and late teenage years … “IKE’S WAY, OR ELSE …”.

As he got a little older and able to play on his own, whenever he, shall we say, grew bored playing with his “toy Legos” or other playthings, he learned to beat boredom by finding his private spot on the couch or elsewhere to curl up with his favorite “security baby blanket” in hand and in mouth as a pacifier to fall asleep. The “blanket” became our “in-home” babysitter, so to speak. Jelly bread was his favorite snack past-time.

Besides his charm appeal, which some say he got from his dad, obviously, Lil’ Ike was a happy, “carefree” kid growing up. Not too many of life’s up and down times seem to faze him much at all. But he had one obvious unusual trait that seem to “mark” him early on, and that was his seemly fanatical, wild, fearless obsession with creepy, crawly, hairy, jumpy wildlife creatures (mice excepted) that he would discover hiding, crawling, or flying around in the backyard lawn and garden. Perhaps one of his most entertaining childhood outdoor play activities was his searching out the backyard for any kind of creature he could capture to bring inside to show off to mom, which never really went over very well with mom, we might add. Judging from his behavior, one might conclude he was a real “Dundee” adventurer by nature.

Ike had the glorious, but sometimes tumultuous experience growing up as a “military brat” in a service member’s family. (Anyone who has ever been a part of a service member’s family may well can attest to the hardships and joys of military life.) He was privileged to have traveled and lived abroad with his parents and siblings in such places as Misawa and Tokyo, Japan; Colorado Springs, CO; Wiesbaden, Ger.; and finally, here in Midwest City, OK. During these tours with his dad and protégé under his older brother, he picked up on and enjoyed sports of all kind … developing into a “pretty good” player with his American Youth Activities baseball and basketball league teams during his time living in Germany … some credit goes to dad’s superior coaching, of course.

Ike attended and graduated from Choctaw Public High School, Choctaw, Oklahoma, with the Class of 1981. Immediately after graduation, he signed up for service in the United States Air Force, at his dad’s encouragement, serving his country honorably from 1981 to 1987, in the field of Fire Fighter Technician. After discharge, he returned to live in the Oklahoma City area to be near his parents and grandparents, where he forged for himself career niches in various occupational fields, including briefly as a firefighter with the Watonga, OK, Fire Department, and later in Oklahoma City in hotel banquet and hospitality services, delinquent youth community center counselor/supervisor, restaurant waiter/dining room manager, self-employed process server, and most recently Deli Concessionaire/Manager at Uptown Grocer, Edmond, OK.

He loved listening to “R&B slow jam” music.

Ike was a loving and attentive son to his parents, especially toward his mom. He was fondly known as a “mama’s” boy. He literally adored his mom, and she him as well.

At around 8 years old, Ike survived a near fatal pedestrian-car accident that caused him to be hospitalized at the Air Force Academy Military Hospital, critical care unit for several weeks. Just a few years ago, he suffered with and overcame colon cancer that resulted in the removal of his colon and parts of his bladder and stomach. Now, today if Ike could speak to us about his state of mind from where his spirit rests, I can imagine him saying something like:

“… don’t grieve for me … I am okay … I beat the odds … for ‘… [n]aked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I leave this life. The Lord gives, and the Lord takes away. Blessed be the name of the Lord …’ (Job 1:21)”

Ike is survived by his loving and attentive fiancée, Tina Beavers, of Oklahoma City, OK; daughters Brandi Hurt of Midwest City, OK, and Chanel Hill of Louisville, KY; parents Isiah and Louise Hill of Midwest City, OK; sister Anita Hill of Midwest City, OK; granddaughter ShaKendra Hill of Oklahoma City, OK; grandsons Carlton, Jr., and Jayden Hurt of Midwest City, OK; nephews Isiah ‘Trey’ Hill of Fairview, MO, and Robert ‘‘Lil’ Rob’ Hill of McCloud, OK; grandnieces/nephew; and a host of cousins and friends.

He is preceded in death by his brother Robert ‘Bobby’ Hill, formerly of McCloud, OK, and grandparents.

Ike, you will always be missed and remembered in our thoughts and prayers. In the tone of Muhammad Ali’s boast … “YOU ARE THE GREATEST” … rest now in Peace!

“Peace” to all who are in Christ … God bless the United States of America and our troops around the world. Amen!

To Him be the glory,

Isiah & Louise Hill’s and Tina Beavers’ Families