Jody Kay Hill, 62

Jody Kay

Hill, 62

Jody Kay Hill, 62, of Emmett, Idaho, passed away peacefully Sunday, Jan. 5, 2020, due to the natural course of Frontotemporal Dementia. She was born on Dec. 23, 1957, in Kellogg, Idaho, to Floyd and Mary Byington.

Jody spent her childhood in Kellogg where she attended Elk Creek Elementary and enjoyed growing up with her siblings and cousins. She graduated in 1976 from Kellogg High School. After high school, Jody attended the University of Idaho in Moscow, Idaho, where she met John C. Hill Jr. John and Jody were married in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, on June 8, 1978. They immediately moved to Emmett, Idaho, where they raised five sons. Jody and John divorced in 2005. Jody never remarried.

She received her degree in education from Boise State University in 1993. Jody passionately taught sixth grade in Fruitland, Idaho, from 1993 until her retirement in 2016. Jody proudly received the Idaho State Region Three Educator of the Year Award in 2006. She was a 4-H leader from 1989-1998, a member of the Idaho Dairy Wives from 1980-1993 and was a member of the Teacher’s Sorority throughout her career. She volunteered at Head Start and anywhere that asked her to volunteer.

Jody was a lifelong learner who enjoyed puzzles, trivia, Jeopardy, science, reading, swimming, biking and chocolate. Jody was overwhelmingly proud of her five sons and grandchildren whom she doted on continuously. She genuinely loved being a teacher and loved all of the students she had over the years. She was a kind, thoughtful, fun-loving and empathetic person who could always be counted on. She will be remembered best by her love of teaching, love for her family and her happy, reassuring smile.

She is preceded in death by her father, Floyd Byington; sister Teresa Byington and brother Gary Byington.

She is survived by her parents, Mary and Virgil Stallsworth; her five sons, Brett (Emily) Hill, Brian Hill, Christopher (Michele) Hill, Shane (Darcie) Hill and Scott (Nicole) Hill; sisters Sherry Ransier, Cindy (Tobin) Faraca, Misty Byington and Tanya (Kevin) Karn; brothers Robert Stallsworth and Donald (Tammy) Stallsworth; grandchildren Bradley (Holli) Burnett, Matthew Andrews, Elizabeth (Patrick) Freeman, Summir Hill, Payton Hill and Owen Hill; great-grandchildren Makenzie Bullock, Aiden Burnett and Hadley Burnett; as well as many nephews and nieces.

Services will be held at 1 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 11, 2020, at Potter Funeral Chapel in Emmett.

Charitable donations in honor of Jody can be made to The Association for Frontotemporal Degeneration (AFTD). Donate online at https://www.theaftd.org/support-aftds-mission/ or by mail to AFTD, 2700 Horizon Drive, Suite 120, King of Prussia, PA 19406.