Jean J. (Koessl) Hill

Jean J. (Koessl) Hill passed away peacefully on Saturday, May 24, 2025, after a courageous battle with cancer at her home in Sister Bay. She was a woman of faith who loved Jesus as her LORD and Savior and shared that same love with her family and friends.

Jean was born in Sister Bay, the only child of Joseph and Alice (Nordeen) Koessl, on November 25, 1938. She attended Appleport School and graduated from Gibraltar High School in 1956. Upon graduation, she attended Bethel College finishing her teaching degree at University of Minnesota in Minneapolis. At Bethel, she met her future husband, Lyle R. Hill. They were married June 18, 1960 at First Baptist Church in Sister Bay, and shared 44 wonderful years together. Much time was spent traveling in the U.S. and to Israel and Monaco to visit family.

Lyle and Jean spent a few years in Michigan as teachers and then returned to Door County where Lyle taught school in Sturgeon Bay. Jean spent several years raising her family before getting back into teaching by co-founding Peninsula Day Nursery. She later became the Director at Northern Door Children’s Center where she expressed and shared her great love for children. In the summer months, Jean and Lyle ran and further developed the family orchard. This place held a great fondness in Jean's heart as it was where she grew up and was also where she and Lyle raised their three children: Beth, Jody and Randy. Together, the family shared a camaraderie of working together through the seasons to include tree planting, pruning and harvest. In the Autumn, Lyle and Jean often traveled with loads of apples to Michigan and sold fruit at roadside stands and farmer's markets. In 1980, they joined together with four other couples starting Northern Door Cherry Corporation and ran it together until 2004.

Jean loved every season and all aspects of the cherry orchard. She worked tirelessly during the harvest with whatever needed to be done. Her hospitality always shined but especially during "cherry season" making sure that all were fed. She loved to cook and bake and would bring meals out to the orchard crew.

She combined her love of cooking with her love for cherries and apples by developing recipes and publishing two cookbooks, "Cherries Galore" and "Apples Everything" with her daughter Jody. This project led to many good memories in creating, tasting and making recipes in the kitchen where Jean spent so much of her time. She froze and canned many kinds of fruit to be able to share with others year around.

Jean was active in missions and created many long-lasting friendships with missionaries. She worked with the Door County internationals program, BRIDGES, and again, provided international students a "home away from home". She had a real love for young people from here and around the world.

She lived her life for the LORD as an example to others with her life summarized by Ephesians 2:8-9 - "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith - and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God - not by works, so that no one can boast."

Surviving family includes her children, Beth Hill of Los Angeles, CA, Jody (Jerry) Littler of Sister Bay, Randy (Heather) Hill of Bonduel; two grandchildren, Jakob and Jana; and “adopted” aunt, Lois Seaquist of Sister Bay.

Preceding her in death was her husband, Lyle in 2004; her parents; and “adopted” aunt and uncles , Shirley (Dave) Maltby, and David Seaquist.

Funeral services will be held 11:00 a.m., Friday, May 30, 2025 at First Baptist Church with Rev. Dr. Mark Billington officiating.  Burial will be at Little Sister Cemetery beside her husband.

Friends may call at the church Thursday evening, May 29, 2025 from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. and Friday morning from 10:00 a.m. until the time of service at 11:00 a.m.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed in Jean's memory to First Baptist Church for missions or Bridges Ministry (2622 S Bayshore Dr, Sister Bay WI 54234); or WRVM Radio station (PO Box 212, Suring WI 54174).

"We would like to extend a special thank you for the care given to our mother from Green Bay Oncology, Home Instead caregivers, and Unity Hospice staff."

Casperson Funeral Home is assisting the Hill family. Expressions of sympathy, memories, and photos of Jean may be shared with her family through her tribute page at www.CaspersonFuneralHome.com.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Jean J. (Koessl) Hill, please visit our floral store.