Ronald E Hill

Ronald Edwin Hill left this earth for the Big House upstairs on Friday, April 14, 2017. Now our beloved husband, daddy, grandpa, brother, uncle, and friend is catching up with family and friends who have gone before him, breathing free and living without pain.

Ron (75) was born on April 22, 1941, in Wapato, Washington, to Edwin and Velma Hill. He attended school in Wapato and graduated in 1959 from Wapato High School. Ron hooked up with his future wife, Bonnie, when he helped roof the Wheetley family home in Sunnyside. They were married soon after on May 20, 1960, and began life together in Yakima. Blind in one eye from a childhood arrow accident, he memorized the vision chart to join the Air Force, which worked for a very short time until they realized he could not see from both eyes. Ron then followed his interests in the automotive parts industry. The couple moved to Cle Elum and Tacoma before transferring to Arizona for 9 years. Ron and Bonnie loaded up a one-ton truck and a horse trailer with their four children, one horse, one dog, one cat, and returned to the Yakima area in 1978. They have lived in Wapato and the Wenas area since that time.

Ron spent his career fiddling under the hoods of vehicles and doling out automotive parts in Washington and Arizona. He worked both at Sunfair and Yakima Grinding for many years. There was nothing he loved more than taking care of his love Bonnie, working in the shop, visiting with family and friends, going wood cutting, going to church, running to the store, and cracking jokes. Watching his grandchildren and great-grandchildren grow up and play gave him immense joy. He especially loved getting his offspring to help him work on his trucks or assisting on woodworking and home fixer upper projects.

Ron was a Christian and faithfully served the Lord at First Baptist Church, Union Gap, and First Baptist Church, Wapato. He was an ordained deacon and loved singing special music and listening to country gospel groups. Ron was well known for loving his church family and giving everyone he met a hard time.

Ron leaves a huge hole in the hearts and lives of many family and friends. He is survived by his Woman, Bonnie; his children, Angie Quantrell (Kevin), Mark Hill (JoRae), Tracy Jo Poggemeyer (Kip), and James Hill (Nichola); sisters Carole Yager (Arnie) and Sharon Hill; 14 grandchildren; 11 great-grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews. Ron was preceded in death by his parents, Ed and Velma Hill, and his brother, Eddie Hill.

The family would like to give a special thank you to Ron’s many doctors, ALS EMTs, the Selah Fire Department, Lincare, Yakima County Sheriff’s Department, and Keith and Keith Funeral Home staff for taking care of Ron.

Visitation will be held from 4:00-8:00 P.M. on Thursday, April 27, 2017, at Keith and Keith Funeral Home. A Celebration of Life will be held at 11:00 A.M. on Friday, April 28, 2017, at the First Baptist Church in Union Gap. A potluck reception will follow the celebration. To celebrate the life of Ron and share a memory visit www.keithandkeith.com.

Some of Ron’s favorite sayings were “I love you,” “If I don’t see you here, I’ll see you at the Big House,” “I’ll be waiting at the Eastern Gate,” and “Up, up, up, up, up!”

Dad, we love you and miss you, and we’ll see you at the Big House by the Eastern Gate.