Jeanette Hilton

Jeanette Hilton

Jeanette Helen Hilton, 87, of Cedarville, worked at the Gamble's Store in Cedarville for 18 years, and she was a dedicated community volunteer in Holiday, Florida, logging more hours than any other volunteer at the hospital there, and in Cedarville. Mrs. Hilton died Monday, July 7, 2008, at Mackinac Straits Hospital in St. Ignace.

She was born July 12, 1920, in Royal Oak to George and Regina (nee Ehnis) Geis.

Mrs. Hilton and her husband, Foster, moved to Cedarville in 1962, where they owned and operated the Cedarville RV Park. For 18 years, she was known as the "lady at the Gamble's Store" or "Mrs. Fix-It," friends recalled. She enjoyed the challenge of helping customers plan complicated home repairs.

After retiring in 1985, she lived in Holiday, Florida, for eight months of each year and in Cedarville during the summer months. In Florida, she volunteered at Helen Ellis Memorial Hospital for 20 years. Most of those years, she was at the snack bar almost 50 hours a week, logging more hours at the hospital than any other volunteer. She also served as treasurer of the hospital auxiliary.

In Cedarville, she worked just as hard and spent just as much time pursuing her favorite hobby - fishing. She fished only for perch and almost always came back with fish, even when it seemed no one else was having any success. The family has many photographs of Mrs. Hilton with her prize catches.

In 2005, she returned to Cedarville year around. Even with health problems, she remained active with the Bethel Lutheran Church, the Cedar Post Thrift Store, where she volunteered two days each week, and of course, fishing with her daughter.

Mrs. Hilton is survived by two children and their families, Priscilla and Gerald King of Cedarville, and Robert and Priscilla Hilton of Culpeper, Virginia; five grandchildren and their families, Carolyn and Marty Minot of Ypsilanti, Gregory King of Dexter, Andrew and Tammi King of Saline, Barbara and James McAree of Fairfield, Connecticut, and Elizabeth Hilton of Northville, and eight greatgrandchildren, Allyson Schultz, Kelsi King, Joseph King, Nicholas King, Hannah King, Emma King, Catherine McAree, and Adam McAree. She is remembered by her grandchildren and great-grandchildren as "Nana."

She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Foster; a sister, Winifred Cackowski, and a brother, George Geis Jr.

Services were held Monday, July 14, at 3 p.m. at Bethel Lutheran Church in Cedarville with the Reverend Jerry Wittmus conducting the service. Burial was next to her husband in Cedar Cemetery in Cedarville.

Memorials may be made to Cedar Post Thrift Store or Bethel Lutheran Church.

Reamer Galer Funeral Home of Pickford assisted the family with arrangements.