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SIMON LEN HILL

Simon Len Hill, 78, of Aitkin, passed away on April 9, 2015. Simon left on his journey to his after life at Minneapolis Veterans Administration Medical Center. He died peacefully in the arms of Claire Rousu Hill, who was his soul mate and wife of 56 years.

Simon-whose Indian name is Niigaanii Ma'iinagan (lead wolf)-was born March 2, 1937 and raised on the Red Lake Nation, located in northern Minnesota. He was a member of the Red Lake Band of Chippewa Indians.

Simon served in the U.S. Air Force from 1953-58. He attended Hanson Trade School in Fargo, N.D. Following the Hill family's move from Morris, Minn. to Aitkin in 1966 he worked at Aitkin Body Shop. He opened his own business, Simon's Body Shop, and operated it for 37 years. He served on the Advisory Board for the Auto Body Repair Program at Brainerd Area Vocational Technical Institute.

Simon was an active member of St. John's (Missouri Synod) Lutheran Church in Aitkin. He is a former financial secretary of St. John's and a former Vacation Bible School Recreation Volunteer. He was involved in many community activities over the years, serving as an advisor on the Aitkin Public Schools Building committee. In later years, he worked for Aitkin Public Schools as a bus driver, taking students to and from Brainerd. He was also a former Red Cross volunteer.

Simon was a life-long lover of sports and the outdoors. He played basketball in high school and played in Aitkin's "Over 35 Softball League." He especially loved the Minnesota Twins, his Simon's B/S Softball Team, racing cars with his son Roland, watching all of his grandchildren play sports over the years, taking drives, and hunting ducks on Kiwosay on the Red Lake Reservation with his family and close friends. He was enormously proud of his four children and encouraged higher education from the time they were very young.

Simon was preceded in death by his parents, the late Maud English Mahjeosake Hill and Len L. Okemahwahjewenen Hill of Red Lake and several half-sisters and half-brothers, including: Mary Jane (Smith) English; Dorothy (Brown) Hardy; Doris (Brown) Cobenais; Gladys Brown; Esther (English) Stone; Alvin Percy; and George Brown.

Simon will be deeply missed by his wife Claire and four children-Elizabeth (Loye Miller) of Hana, Maui, Hawai'i; Margo Temple (Nathan) of Owatonna, Minn.; Annamarie of Forest Lake, Minn. and Roland (Kay) of Aitkin; several grandchildren, Cassandra Gilgenbach (Jordan), Derek Ritter, Kylan Hill, Kinzer Hill, Alanna Hill (Matt Hafiz), Matthew Kleinhans and Lydia Kleinhans; and great-grandchildren, Tracen Hafiz, Lucy Gilgenbach and Iliana Hafiz. In addition, step grandchildren Joshua Temple, Jake Temple and step great grandchildren, Joshy, Zachary, Levi and Annabelle Temple.

Visitation will be on Sunday, April 12, 4-7 p.m. with a short prayer service at 7 p.m. at Sorenson-Root-Thompson Funeral Home in Aitkin. The funeral service and celebration of Simon's life will be held on Monday, April 13 at 10:30 a.m. with visitation one hour before services at St. John's Lutheran Church (Missouri Synod) in Aitkin. Pallbearers are Simon's grandsons Derek Ritter, Kylan Hill, Kinzer Hill, Matthew Kleinhans, Jordan Gilgenbach and Matthew Hafiz. Honorary Pallbearers are Jim Ruschmeier, Larry Goble, Ron Lammers, Rich Liljenquist, Joel Hoelz, Bernie Kotaska and Jim Shirilla. Simon will be buried at Fort Snelling National Cemetery in Minneapolis, Minn., on Tuesday, April 14 at 12:00 noon.

 

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