Carol Ely Hill, 98, of Wagner, SD, peacefully passed away in Carlsbad, CA, on January 20, 2021, surrounded by loved ones.
Carol was born on December 16th, 1922, to Mary Schuldt and Harry Ely in the town of Wagner, SD. After Carol graduated from Amarillo High School in 1938, she attended West Texas A&M University where she pursued a degree in Journalism and was named by Bob Hope as the Campus Beauty.
In 1942, she married her high school sweetheart, Calvin Hill, and moved to Dallas, Texas, where he attended Texas Christian University (TCU). In 1943, they welcomed their first child, Janice. The Navy took them to California, where their second child, Jay Calvin, was born.
After living in various cities throughout California, they set down roots in the healing desert of Arizona in 1958. Carol attended Arizona State University (ASU), where she eventually earned her doctorate and joined the Apache Junction School District as a district administrator. She attended John Calvin Presbyterian Church in Apache Junction and Gold Canyon United Methodist Church.
Carol worked in education for over 20 years in the Tempe and Apache Junction areas. After she retired, she focused on genealogy and chronicling memoirs for her grandchildren. When Calvin Hill passed in 2003, Carol moved to Woodstock, GA, where she lived with her son, Jay Calvin, and his wife Cheryl. Carol accompanied Cheryl on frequent outings with the Legis-Spouses at the State Capitol. She attended First United Methodist Church in Canton where she met many friends.
In 2014, Carol moved to Carlsbad, to be close to her daughter and her family.
Carol was predeceased by her husband, J. Calvin Hill (2003) and her son, Jay Calvin Hill (2013). She is survived by her brother, Norman Ely, her daughter, Janice Rodriguez, and her grandchildren, Douglas, Alicia, Carolina, Teresa, Virginia, Patrick, Robert, Jason, Matt, Amanda, and great-grandchildren, Noah, Ariana, Cameron, Rio, Will, Ellie, P.J., Tara, Cayla, April, and Christian.
No services will be held due to the pandemic. Her resting place will be alongside her great love, Calvin Hill. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the Alzheimer’s Association, a nonprofit organization Carol passionately supported.
