Susie Irene Hill

Susie Irene Gwartney Hill, 95, passed away Friday, July 24, 2015 surrounded by her family. Visitation will be at 6:00 pm & service will follow at 7:00 pm on Wednesday, July 29th at McGilley & Sheil Chapel, 11924 E. 47th St., KCMO. Burial will be in Floral Hills Cemetery the following morning.

Susie was born in Pryor, OK to Walter & Bess McWaters Gwartney. She graduated from Northeast High School in 1937 & resided in the Kansas City area most of her life. She & her husband moved to Raytown in 1951 & later lived a short time in Houston, TX & Tulsa, OK before moving back to the Raytown/Independence area. She led a very full life as a wife & mother, but also enjoyed many other pursuits. She was gifted in that she was a force in all that she did. She loved swimming, so she became a Red Cross swimming instructor & taught many children & adults how to swim & dive. She loved to sew & volunteered to complete many costumes for her daughters’ dance recitals. In 1956, she helped to bring the American Foreign Exchange program into the Raytown School District. She was a PTA officer in many capacities in her daughters’ schools. She believed in education & encouraged each daughter to excel & pursue higher education. She was civically active in much of Raytown’s early growth & expansion. In her later years, she loved to make things grow. She was an expert gardener & fell in love with growing African Violets. She was a passionate member of many local & national violet clubs & was honored at the national level. She loved to travel to attend conventions, show & judge plants, teach, & mentor new members of each group. She founded the Mid-American African Violet Club in Kansas City.

Susie is predeceased by her parents; her loving husband, Kenneth Hill; her brothers Eugene, Vernon & Russell; & sister, Muriel Younger. She is survived by her children, Marilyn Anson (Lyle), Kerry Penney (Bill), Judy Procell, Linda Jones (Mike), Michelle (Mickey) Ruttinger-LeDoux (David); 9 grandchildren & 12 great-grandchildren.

A special thank you to the loving & professional care provided by the kind staff at the Hidden Lake Care Center. They became part of Susie’s family. Thank you also to the K.C. Hospice. Our family encourages donations in Susie’s name to the Shepherd Center of Raytown, 5110 Westridge Circle, Raytown, MO 64133. Condolences to www.mcgilleysheil.com. Arr: McGilley & Sheil Chapel, 816-353-6555.