Obituary of Ann Crandall Hills

Ann Crandall Hills of Lakewood, WA, passed away on Saturday, September 30, 2023.

She was born in Erie, PA, on October 25, 1938, the daughter of the late Thomas Harold and Charlotte T. Withrow Crandall, and the sister of older brother, Tom, and younger sister, Martha.

Ann graduated from Academy High School in 1956 and went on to attend Allegheny College in Meadville, PA, before leaving school to marry her high-school sweetheart, James W. (Jim) Hills, provide for their needs as he attended Air Force ROTC, and support him through his Air Force career as they moved to Enid, OK, Waco, TX, and Lakewood, WA. Later in life, Ann earned a computer programming degree which she used for many years while working for Boeing.

Ann was very involved in her children’s schooling and activities.  She was extremely active in the Parent Teacher Association (PTA) at Tyee Park Elementary School, including serving as its President, and was very involved in her kid's swim teams, sitting poolside or supporting them and their teammates by helping organize and run countless swim meets.

Ann was active in her grandchildren’s lives as well, providing after-school care for several of them, regularly visiting those not living in Washington State, and twice surprising them with trips to Disney World, giving them lifelong memories of the excitement and joy they experienced being together.

Ann loved being surrounded by family and her home always remained the gathering place for family activities and meals anytime her children or grandchildren would visit from out of town.  Extended family was important, too, so Ann was the driving force behind regular Crandall family reunions.

Beyond family activities, Ann was involved in the community as well.  She worshiped with her church, United Methodist Church in Lakewood, where she was the treasurer for several years; was very active in Al-Anon, serving in multiple roles at the local, state, and national level; and enjoyed scrapbooking both on her own and as a consultant for Creative Memories, frequently hosting scrapbooking parties both in her home and as get-away weekends at the ocean.

Ann is survived by her older brother Thomas H. Crandall (Janet), of Erie, PA; her four children, Jamie Hills (Lynn), of Rogers, AR, Geoff Hills (Judy Cashen), of Colorado Springs, CO, Virginia Preston (Ralph), of Tacoma, WA, and Kerry Hills (Heather), of Lakewood, WA; ten grandchildren; and one great grandson.  

Family and friends are invited to a memorial service to celebrate Ann’s life planned at United Methodist Church at Lakewood, 6900 Steilacoom Blvd SW, Lakewood, WA, 98499 on November 18^th 2023 at 11:00 AM.  In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Lewy Body Dementia Association (https://www.lbda.org/donate/).  Memorial gifts may also be made to Al-Anon for those who are members of that organization.