Cecil Gary Hill

Cecil Gary Hill, 61, of Poplar Bluff, died September 2, 2007 at the Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center. He was born July 30, 1946 in Poplar Bluff to the late William R. and Juanita (Ward) Hill. He was best known to his friends as Gary. Gary grew up in St. Louis where he graduated from high school and then moved to Maryland where he graduated from the University of Maryland. He served in Vietnam in the Criminal Investigation Division of the U.S. Army and after leaving the military returned to this area and worked several years for the Dexter Police Department. Gary loved the outdoors and spent several years working at the Mingo Job Corps helping the young men and women there develop an appreciation of the outdoors as well. Gary was a very skilled carpenter and built several houses in the area. He was a talented artist and completed several detailed drawings of his favorite topic, Crappie and Walleye fishing. He also was a musician and played the guitar.

On May 26, 1996 he married Marilyn Wyatt in Poplar Bluff. She survives.

Also surviving are three step-children, Rona Mallard and husband Todd of Jackson; Becky Caraway and husband Joel of Mobile, AL; Kirk Zinnell and wife Shanna of San Antonio, TX; eight grandchildren, Michaella Mallard, Mariah Mallard, Ben Caraway, Forrest Caraway, Bethany Caraway, Faith Caraway, Kya Zinnell, and Kaden Zinnell; and one brother, William Edward Hill of St. Louis. He was preceded in death by an infant sister Donna Marie Hill.

Visitation will be at 9:00 A.M., Wednesday at Cotrell Funeral Chapel. The funeral service will follow at 10:30 A.M. Wednesday at the funeral home chapel with Bro. Junior Bennett officiating. Burial will be in the City Cemetery.