Ruth Falvey Hill, better known as “Bettie” Hill, of Waupaca, Wisconsin, passed away peacefully on April 14, 2026, at the Bethany Home in Waupaca, Wisconsin.
She was born in Neenah, Wisconsin on April 6, 1927. Her parents were Hugh Falvey and Ruth (Lachmann) Falvey. Bettie attended the Winnebago Day School, the Wayland Academy in Beaver Dam, and graduated from Lawrence University, in Appleton, Wisconsin. At Lawrence she joined the Delta Gamma sorority and majored in music. She became an operatic vocalist and music played an important role throughout her life.
Bettie and Gilbert Sealy Hill were married in 1950 in Menasha. Their family grew and they relocated to the Chicago area, where Gilbert worked for Western Electric Company and Bettie was actively involved in the church choir and briefly taught kindergarten. Bettie and Gilbert retired to Pine River, Wisconsin in 1980, to a house they had built themselves, where they were involved with the St. Mark’s Episcopal Church in Waupaca, various theater activities and the Neenah Historical Society. Bettie and Gilbert’s parents preceded them in death.
Bettie is survived by three children, Christopher (Maureen) Hill of Pewaukee, WI; Elizabeth Hill of Long Beach, NY; Gilbert (Susan) Hill of Pine River, WI; six grandchildren: Katherine (Florian Miranzadeh) Hill of Winnetka, Il; Graham (Samantha Brown) Hill of Arvada, CO; Andrew Hill of Belgrade, MT; Teresa Ciaccio of Philadelphia, PA; Eric (Anna Steuart) Hill of Denver, CO; and Elisabeth Ciaccio of Brooklyn, NY; and three great grandchildren: Noah Hill, Thomas Hill and Matilda “Tilly” Hill.
The Memorial Service will be held on Saturday, May 23, at 11:00 a.m. at St. Mark’s Church, 415 S. Main St., Waupaca. There will be a visitation from 10 a.m. until the time of the service at the church. A luncheon reception will follow the service. The service will be livestreamed on St. Mark’s Facebook page. Burial will be in Oak Hill Cemetery in Neenah at a later date. Memorial donations can be sent to St. Mark’s Episcopal Church in Waupaca and the Neenah Historical Society. The Maple Crest Funeral Home assisted the family with arrangements.
