Mildred "Milli" Allen Stephenson Hill

Mildred “Milli” Lucille Allen Stephenson Hill, 96, of Indianapolis, passed away April 7, 2023. She was born February 9, 1927 in Emison, Knox County, to the late John and Daisy Hatfield Allen. Her early life was spent in Emison, where she started school and first went to Emison United Methodist Church with a friend. She was baptized and joined the church in 1937. Milli was a freshman at Oaktown High School when Pearl Harbor was attacked in December 1941 and she graduated the week the war ended in Europe, May 1945. College was unaffordable, so she began work at John R. Charley’s General Store, Oaktown, when one day a man came in to buy a new hat. He was Don Stephenson, and they were married on her birthday in 1946 in Morris Chapel, Knox County. The young couple soon moved to Indianapolis so that Don could work in construction, and they attended Broadway Methodist Church. Their daughters, Donna, Jane and Alice were all born in Indianapolis, and except for a brief time in Denver, Colorado, the family lived on the eastside of Indianapolis. They joined and became active in Old Bethel United Methodist Church, where Milli began her mission of teaching young children. She became the Children’s Coordinator at Old Bethel, and was instrumental in beginning the weekday preschool. Milli became the Director and subsequently served as a teacher and trainer for United Methodist Church Lab Schools. After attending courses at Methodist seminaries, Milli completed her studies at Garrett Evangelical Theological Seminary and was consecrated as a Diaconal Minister in 1982. Milli then served several churches in Indianapolis, Beech Grove, and Noblesville. She was also certified as an Associate in Christian Education. Following her divorce from Don Stephenson, Milli married Reverend William F. Hill in 1978, and together they served at Roberts Park United Methodist Church, Lockerbie United Methodist Church, and Noblesville First United Methodist Church. They lived downtown in Lockerbie Square in a tiny house where James Whitcomb Riley’s housekeeper had lived. Following Rev. Hill’s death in 1999, Milli returned to her church home, Old Bethel UMC, where she designed and maintained a Biblical Herb Garden and continued her work with young children. She also chaired the Memorial Committee, was active in United Methodist Women, and served as a Stephen Minister. Visitation will be Sunday, April 16, 2023 from 11:00 a.m. until 1:00 p.m. at Shirley Brothers Washington Memorial Chapel, 9606 East Washington Street. Funeral services for family will be private. Milli was preceded in death by her husband, Rev. Hill; her granddaughters, Abigail and Rebecca Heustis; sister, Agnes Pearl Allen Cox; nephew, Mike Blacketer; and niece, Mary Cox Berry. She is survived by her sister, Wanda Allen Blacketer Stomski; her daughters, Donna Stephenson, Jane Stephenson Heustis (Ron), and Alice Stephenson Apple (Rick); grandchildren, Andy Alexander (Courtney Moke), Casey Alexander, Scott Heustis (Annie), Tom Heustis (Jessica Adams), Chris Apple, Kate Apple, and Laura Apple; great-grandchildren, Gabriel Apple, Giulianna Apple, Rory Heustis, Maren Heustis, Carys Heustis, Nick Alexander, Chloe Alexander, and Avery Adams-Heustis; and four nieces and nephews. Milli’s great loves were her family, being a pastor and wife of a pastor, early American antiques, gardening herbs, crocheting and quilting, and being a disciple and serving young children and families in the church. She was also an artist and a poet, and she will be remembered for her kindness and love for her family. Milli’s family is very grateful for the kindness and loving care given to her by the staff in Memory Care at Rittenhouse at Northside Senior Community and the caregivers at Life’s Journey Hospice. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Old Bethel United Methodist Preschool, 7995 East 21st Street, Indianapolis, IN 46219.

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Mildred "Milli" Allen Stephenson Hill

February 9, 1927 - April 7, 2023