Amber (Ward) Hill

Amber Beth Hill, 70 of Ithaca, went to be with her Lord on November 9, 2018 at home surrounded by her family and loving husband, Gary Hill. She was born on July 28, 1948 to William A. and Lorraine Ward in Nahma, MI.

Amber received her GED from Ithaca High School and continued her education at MJ Murphy Beauty School in Alma. She proudly owned and operated, along with her husband, Gary & Ambers Hairstyling in downtown Ithaca.

She married Gary Hill on November 24, 1971 and they raised six children together and fostered nearly 25 children.

Amber was an active member of the Ithaca community, including her time with the Jaycees Auxiliary, Ithaca marching band/color guard and Church of God. She opened her home to many family and friends over the years. She loved going to the U.P. and staying at her childhood home in Garden. She enjoyed auctions, thrift store shopping, card playing and going to Chuck E Cheese’s with her grandchildren to play skee ball and the claw game (which she was a master). If you didn’t see Amber volunteering at the church, playing cards or shopping, she could be found with a cup of coffee reading her Woman’s World magazine, Danielle Steele novel or spending time on her computer. She self taught herself to play the piano and played for her local church when she was a child and first discovered her love for Jesus.

Amber is survived by her husband, Gary, children Ward Osterhout (Traci), Melinda (Michael) Kosnik and Patricia (Brent) Hinz; step-children, Lori (Peter) McKenzie, Mary (Craig) Gritzmaker and Heidi (Robert) Dee; 17 grandchildren, 8 great grandchildren and siblings Montgomery Ward, Pete Ward, DeAnna Tatrow, Mary Lynn LaLonde, Sonja Ward and Linda Cota. She was preceded in death by her parents, Lorraine and Bill; and siblings, William Ward Jr., Faye Allen, Norma Holub, Krystal Hardwick, Mark Ward, Bernard Barney and Gail Ward.

Visitations will be Tuesday, November 13 from 2-4 and 6-8 p.m. at the Barden Funeral Home in Ithaca. Funeral Services will be held Wednesday, November 14 at the Church of God in Ithaca at 10 a.m. with Pastor Tom Whitesel officiating. Interment will follow at Ithaca Cemetery.A memorial service will be held in Garden, MI spring, 2019. Memorials may be made to the Ithaca Senior Center or Ithaca Church of God (kitchen fund).

Condolences may be left for the family online at www.bardenfuneralhome.com.