Carolyn Hill

Carolyn Hill, age 78 of Mankato passed away at Mayo Hospital in Austin on February 9, 2022. Funeral services will be held 11am Saturday February 26 at Patton Funeral Home in Blue Earth with Rev. Joe Ocker officiating. Visitation will be one hour before the service. Burial will be at Bethany Lutheran Cemetery in Frost. Online condolences can be left at www.pattonfh.com

Carolyn (Hanson) was born to Carlyle and Esther (Nimz) Hanson February 7, 1944. She graduated from Frost High School. She married Gordon More and together they had one child, Melanie. They lived and farmed outside of West Concord and Carolyn worked for Federated Insurance. She also gardened and did a lot of canning. They divorced in 1972, soon after, Gordon died in a roll over car accident.

Later she married Tom Hill of Medford. Tom and his seven children welcomed Carolyn and Melanie into their family and home. She was a great cook, baker and cleaner. Some of the family favorites were popcorn balls, divinity and sugar cookies. Hers were the best! She enjoyed skiing, playing piano and ice skating. She and Melanie enjoyed ice skating together. She belonged to the Owatonna Figure Skating Club. As a family, they all had a great time downhill skiing.

She had her realtors license, she and Tom were always busy at the office in Owatonna. Between helping run the business and running kids around to lessons and sporting events, she was always on the go.  Her favorite holidays were Easter and Christmas. The annual Easter egg hunt is a fond memory in the family and cutting down the family Christmas tree every year from the grove was always fun and then decorating the tree with lots of homemade ornaments. She always made the best goodies and always tried her best to be perfect.

Carolyn then went through her second divorce. She and Melanie moved to Blue Earth to be closer to family. Having diabetes type 1 took a toll on her mind and body. She lived with her parents for 7 years, with her daughter and grandkids for 10 years and with her sister for 3 years. She then moved to an assisted living facility in Mankato. She had a nice apartment where many friends and family visited. In her last days, the impression that she made on others showed by the calls and visitors that she had.

She is survived by her daughter Melanie (Dan) Ritter, her grandchildren, Kurt (Cristina) Sohn and Lani (Chris) Viljoen and her great grandson Karter Sohn. Her siblings, Mary (Ron) Hogstad, Dick (Carol) Hanson, Bob Hanson and Marsha (Scott) Madigan as well as many other extended family and friends.  

She is preceded in death by her husbands Gordon More and Tom Hill and her parents.