Mrs. Jonnie Mae Hill's Obituary
Jonnie Mae Mosley, beloved wife, mother, sister, and grandmother, was born on January 24, 1949 to the late Anna Mae Mosley (Adams) and late John B. Mosley in Meridian, Mississippi. Jonnie spent her formative years in Meridian and received her early education at East End Elementary and Weschler School and graduated from TJ Harris High School in 1967. After high school, Jonnie took college business courses, which prepared her for later administrative positions.
At an early age, Jonnie joined and became an active member of St. John Missionary Baptist Church, her immediate and extended family church. She later became engaged to Raymond Howard Hill and decided to convert to Catholicism and joined St. Joseph Catholic Church. She and Howard married on January 25, 1974. Over the years when living in Meridian, and following Howard’s retirement from the Army, she was a faithful member of St. Joseph’s where she served in the Servants of Mary and on the Hospitality Committee. She served tirelessly at the church and some of her favorite church events were the annual Octoberfest and the Mardi Gras celebration.
Jonnie and Howard had three daughters: Tianna, Amy, and Michelle. Although Howard was the Army soldier, Jonnie considered herself and their girls “enlisted” as well. During Howard’s military career, which spanned twenties years from 1975 through 1995, the family traveled extensively. They were stationed at posts at Fort Campbell in Hopkinsville, Kentucky, Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville, Alabama, Karlsruhe Germany, Fort Sheridan in Highland Park, Illinois, and Fort Polk in Alexandria, Louisiana. Jonnie was the epitome of a military wife and mother. She believed in making sure the family took advantage of the cultural opportunities at their various posts. She researched trips and activities and as a result the family frequently spent weekends traveling to various points of interests and experiencing the local cuisine. During that time, because it was important to live and teach her girls God’s word, she and the family remained active in the local Catholic communities as members and volunteers.
As a military wife, as opportunities and circumstances dictated, Jonnie sometimes worked outside the home and at other times she primarily managed her household, raising her daughters and serving as a community volunteer. In Karlsruhe, Germany, she worked at the AAFES, the Army base retail store, as a customer service representative. In Meridian, she worked as an administrative clerk in the Lauderdale County Justice Court. She also worked as a caretaker for a family. In addition to her volunteer activities with the church and her girls’ schools, while in Meridian, for a period of time she was an Amicae of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc., Delta Nu Zeta Chapter.
Jonnie was an open and kind person who, like her husband, never met a stranger. She valued family and friends and had a special way of connecting with people. So, although they moved frequently, because of Jonnie’s welcoming and outgoing personality, the family enjoyed fast and long-term friendships everywhere they were stationed.
While Howard was deployed in South Korea and Seattle Washington, Jonnie decided that “if she was going to be away from Howard, she would rather be around family” and returned to Meridian. It was during these times that Jonnie purposefully ensured her girls developed and maintained close familial relationships with their paternal and maternal relatives.
Jonnie was a champion for her children and of those with whom she came into contact. She volunteered at her daughters’ schools and continued volunteering at Carver Middle School and Kate Griffin Jr. High School even after they were no longer attending.
She had a special knack for encouraging and talking to youth. Over the years, some of them have shared their love and respect for Jonnie as someone who “was one of the sweetest people I knew growing up and saw potential in me before I did which meant everything and still does to me” and that she “has a special place in my heart because of the love and hospitality she showed me when I was young.”
Children from the community would stop by to get treats from her or to show her their report cards, with pride. Jonnie, bought gifts year-round to children who otherwise would not get gifts would have gifts for Christmas.
Anyone who knew her, child or adult, will attest that one of life's pleasures was to join Jonnie on her patio or couch where she would entertain you with her sense of humor, encourage you, or just pass the time in peaceful silence. Her home was one where family, friends, and neighbors were welcome to stop by without calling to spend a moment or hours.
In addition to traveling with her family, Jonnie frequently took trips with her girlfriends. She loved music and to dance. She would tell you that some of her favorite times with her sweetheart, Howard, was when at a party or wedding she was able to convince him dance with her. She also loved being outside and took daily walks around the neighborhood and enjoyed outside housework cleaning and working in the yard so she could “feel the sun on her face.”
Jonnie was proud of her family and continued her tradition of unwavering support with her grandchildren. She was involved in every aspect of her grandchildren’s lives. She proudly chose the title “Granny” and was a constant presence at birthday parties, grandparent days, school programs, dance recitals, and soccer and baseball games. She also frequently loaded the grandkids up and kept them for long weekends a extended periods of time.
In July 2018, Jonnie was diagnosed with brain cancer. Her faith in God, strong will to live and the love and prayers of family and friends carried her through four months of chemotherapy. Although the chemotherapy was successful, her battle against cancer resumed in June 2019. However, throughout the grueling process - and side effects of the cancer and the treatment itself, Jonnie’s response to how she was doing was, “Blessed. Very blessed.”
Jonnie did live a blessed life and she was a blessing and will be missed.
Jonnie passed away peacefully on July 23, 2019. She was preceded in death by her husband of 43 years, Howard, her parents, her sister, Dorothy Mosley, and her maternal and paternal grandparents.
She leaves to cherish her memories her daughters Tianna (Malcolm) Raby, Amy (Timothy) Pinkston, and Michelle (Christopher) Simon her grandchildren Jordyn and Timothy Pinkston, Camron, Christopher, and Channing Simon, and Ava Raby. She is also survived by her siblings, brother Roosevelt (Alberta) Mosley, sister Ann Adams, brother John Lee Mosley, sisters Mary and Mosley and Willa Dean Mosley, brother, Ed Mosley, and sister Callie (Ronnie) McRae, a godmother, Laura Jordan, and a host of nieces nephews, cousins, and friends.
What’s your fondest memory of Jonnie?
What’s a lesson you learned from Jonnie?
Share a story where Jonnie's kindness touched your heart.
Describe a day with Jonnie you’ll never forget.
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