Mildred Marcille (Heineke) Hills

Mildred Marcille (Heineke) Hills was born October 29, l922 near Gresham, NE and died March 1, 2007 in Beloit, KS. She was the eldest of seven children born to George Wilhelm Heineke and Jennie Gezina (Dey) Heineke. Millie attended country school #72 and Gresham High School. She trained at Normal School and later became a teacher at Hackberry School. Millie also worked for the Lincoln Telephone Company in Gresham, NE. On July 11, l942 Millie married V. A. “Bud” Hills. To this union were born three children: Joan Kay Hills, James Edward Hills and Donna Jean Hills. In l943 the Hills family moved their construction company to Mankato, Kansas to build conservation ponds. They also established a Hereford cattle operation, which later evolved into a purebred Simmental breeding program.

Millie was an active partner in the farm and ranch activities. She took pride in helping the family develop an excellent cow-calf operation. Essential to that end was good record keeping to track the characteristics of each bloodline. For many years Millie recorded the statistical information and processed the paperwork for their performance cattle operation. The family’s hard work paid off when Bud and Millie received national recognition through the Simmental Association for their quality cattle herd in the early years when Simmentals were being imported from Europe. Through a good artificial breeding program, the Hills Ranch developed an excellent purebred herd and helped promote the breed’s popularity in the US.

Millie had a strong sense of community. She devoted many hours serving in local organizations. An entire generation remembers Millie as a great leader of the Girl Scouts. She and her friend Joy Campbell took local girls on regular outings to the “Island” on Hills Ranch for overnight camping and cookouts. Girls learned skills though participating in hands-on projects in Millie’s garage each week. Millie didn’t participate in scouting just in the years her kids were at that age. She continued to help with the program long after her own children were grown. She belonged to many local clubs including Modern Minerva, Tuesday Happenings, Kiltie Bridge Club, Mankato Garden Club. and EHU. She served as Extension Homemakers Council Treasurer, was on the Extension Advisory Board, the National Simmental Records and Transfer Committee, served in the Kansas Simmental Auxiliary, was Kansas Homemaker Craft Camp Secretary, played in the Hilltop Bell Choir and was a Jewell County Historical Society volunteer and a Hospice volunteer.

Millie created a wonderful home for her family. Millie loved decorating the house for holidays and the changing seasons. The Hills’ house was a fun and active gathering place for friends of her children. There were always great snacks available after school and pizza parties after ballgames. Millie never missed any school activities. In the days before school busses, she hauled children for ballgames, swim parties, band trips, dance classes, piano lessons etc. Some kids didn’t want to go with their own parents, but everyone liked to go in the Hills’ car. (No wonder Millie had a hearing loss.) Bud and Millie sponsored Senior Sneak Trips to Lake of the Ozarks. Being asked to be sponsors was a definite sign of being liked by friends of their children. Pets were definitely welcome at the Hills’ household. You could see calves, owls, cats, dogs, raccoons, rabbits, pheasants, and yes—even snakes—when you went to visit Millie’s house. (She did get a little upset when Jim’s snakes escaped out of the bathtub and were never seen again.)

Millie was a terrific grandmother and aunt. She loved sharing her hobbies and her knowledge with the grandkids, nieces and nephews. When kids came to visit, they could always count on her having a new craft project to try or delight in watching her birds through the windows in the backyard. Oftentimes, Millie arranged to have other youngsters the same age come for tea parties and picnics. A visit with Millie nearly always included a trip to the farm for picking wildflowers, catching frogs, and fishing. If it was a summer trip, one was sure to attend swimming lessons and Bible School while in town. Treats at the Sweden Crème or a peppermint orange were commonplace. At any opportunity the adventure included staying at the farm for a campfire with hot dogs and smores. While the grownups sat around the campfire on log benches, the youngsters climbed the big hill to call coyotes. Oftentimes the coyotes even CAME when called, resulting in a mad dash from the hilltop back to the safety of the fire.

When Millie had time for herself, she could be found enjoying crafts, traveling, doing puzzles, reading and socializing with friends.

Bud and Millie were able to enjoy trips to Alaska, Hawaii, Europe, as well as their annual trips to see friends in the southwest and camp at the Quartzite Flea Market. Camping at the lake or circling the camping trailers at the “Hills KOA” was a source of great fun. Friends were always welcome to share in the fun at the picnic area at Hills Ranch. However their favorite pastime was going to the ranch to see the new calves in spring and fall or driving around the farm to see wildlife. Anyone who ever visited Millie’s home soon became aware that she considered bird and squirrel watching a source of entertainment.

Millie was a creative person with many artistic talents. She loved doing all types of crafts and experimenting with new materials and techniques. Some of her best times were spent sharing craft tips with friends and family. Friends and neighbors often gathered at her house for coffee and an afternoon of “crafting.” She tried her hand at ceramics, painting, clay sculpture, floral arranging, quilling, knitting, and counted cross stitch. She made candles, wreaths, potpourri, angels, scarves, necklaces, ornaments, etc. She especially enjoyed making centerpieces for bridge club, church banquets, church bazaars, and the local senior center.

Millie was unselfish and thoughtful of others. She did not complain when life threw difficulties her way. In later years she was bothered with arthritis pain. Walking became a task. I once heard her say God had forced her to take small steps so she could slow down to notice things others might not see. For many years Bud and Millie continued to live at home despite limited mobility. Friends and delivery persons learned that the door was never locked. They were encouraged to stick their heads in, yell hello, and come on in. Friends who could take time to visit were especially appreciated. After Bud’s death in November of ’04, Millie experienced serious health concerns. She was ill enough that she feared living at home would put a burden on her family. When it became obvious that her heart problems could not be fixed, she decided to move to Hilltop Lodge in Beloit. Instead of complaining about her loss of independence, Millie went into the nursing home environment with the attitude that it would be a place she could get the help she needed; but it would also be a place where she could still entertain friends, do crafts and be a participant in life. She made new friends among the residents and the staff. She continued her love of watching nature by tracking the movements and habits of the peacocks and guinea hens in the central courtyard. She enjoyed crafting special cards for family and her new friends at Hilltop Lodge. In the month before her death Millie was still experimenting with Japanese painting techniques and even completed a decoupage project of a painted pony. Despite her ill health, Millie’s death came as a shock. She had been hospitalized less than a day. Mildred Heineke Hills died at the Mitchell County Hospital in Beloit on March 1, 2007. Hers was no ordinary life. This was a life well-lived and well-loved, a life that will be deeply missed.

In the days after Millie’s death, many people who knew her have expressed their opinions about what made Millie such a special person. Several people have stated that she was their role model. This seems to be a trait she had most of her life. When her children were cleaning out her house last year, they found her 1940 Gresham High School Newsletter. In it were the results of the Popularity Contest. Mildred Heineke had won the vote in eleven categories including best smile, lips, teeth, personality, cooperation, originality, leadership, poise, ability to wear clothes, ability to make friends, and was selected from all students as the Ideal Girl. Obviously, from early in life, Millie had all the qualities that endeared her to others. This undoubtedly was a result of the loving home from which she came. Millie was raised to believe in the importance of God’s love. Millie was baptized and confirmed in the Lutheran Church at Gresham, NE. When she moved to Mankato, Kansas, she and Bud joined the congregation at the Methodist Church. She became a leader in Harmony United Methodist Church. She was WSCS Vice President and Circle Leader, always giving her time and energies to the activities of Sarah Circle. In the past she had also been a member of the Church Choir and was a Sunday School Teacher for many years. At times of crises, Millie would turn her problems over to God with the full confidence that he would resolve the problem. If she lost a loved-one she would put that person in God’s Hands. Mildred was preceded in death by her parents, two brothers, a son-in-law, Bill Ramey, and her husband, V.A. “Bud” Hills who died in 2004. Today, we grieve Millie, but we are confident that she is also in God’s Hands. Many friends and family will be celebrating as she is welcomed to the place He has prepared for our beloved mother, grandmother, sister, and friend.

Survivors include a son James E. Hills and wife Eleanor of Albuquerque, NM, and two daughters: Joan K Ogle and husband Jeff of Hickman, NE, and Donna J. Ramey and friend Gordon Murray of Mankato, KS. She is also survived by two sisters: Norma Ehlers, her husband Clyde: Loretta Volzke, her husband Marvin, both families of Waco, NE; two brothers: Robert Heineke, his wife Doris of Bennet, NE and Gary Heineke, his wife Sally of El Centro, CA: five grandchildren: Brenna Ogle Bowling, Joshua Ogle, Brian Hills, Craig Hills and Andrea Hills Flowers: eight great-grandchildren; a sister-in-law Wilma Long of Lakewood, CO; many nieces, nephews and friends.

Visitation was held at Melby Mortuary, 402 N. High, Mankato with a graveside service conducted at Mount Hope Cemetery in Mankato at 2:00 PM on March 5, 2007. The family suggests memorials to Harmony United Methodist Church or the Jewell County Historical Society both in Mankato, KS.