Charlene Marie Hill

Charlene Marie Blackman Hill, 79, of Reelsboro, passed away peacefully at her home on Monday, September 21, 2026.

Charlene was a woman whose life was defined by compassion, purpose, and an unwavering belief in the value of every person. What began as an effort to provide a loving home as foster parents for one individual grew into a lifelong mission of caring for others. From that beginning, Charlene founded Pathways Behavioral Health, an organization dedicated to helping individuals with special needs receive the care, support, dignity, and respect they deserve.

For Charlene, this work was never simply a business. It was her calling. She saw beyond a disability and recognized the person—their value, their abilities, their potential, and their God-given purpose. What started with one person became a lasting legacy that touched the lives of many. Her dedication to Pathways and to those she served was a reflection of the compassion that was at the very heart of who she was.

As deeply as Charlene cared about her work and the people entrusted to her care, her family held an even more special place in her heart. She was a devoted wife, mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother who took great pride in the family she and Jimmie built together. She and her beloved husband, Jimmie Hill, shared more than 62 years of marriage, having married in December of 1963.

Charlene also found joy in the beauty of her home and yard. She took great pride in keeping her yard meticulous and had a particular way she wanted things done. She worked hard to maintain it just so, and she loved tending to her flowers. Her home and yard were a reflection of the care and attention she brought to so many things in her life.

Charlene was preceded in death by her brother, Jessie Paul Blackman; her sisters, Margaret Mozelle Dunn, and Janie Yates; and her grandson, Gary Hill Jr.

She leaves behind to cherish her memory her loving husband, Jimmie Hill; her children, Carma Lynette Hill-Moore (Billy), Jimmie W. Hill Jr. (Lorena), Berkeley W. Hill (Mary) and Gary Adam Hill (Mindy); her brother, Ed Hassell (Terri); along with her grandchildren, Danny Huges, Crystal Hughes, Charlene Davis, Ruthie McLeroy, Hollie Kula, Kaitlyn Hill, Alissa Pitts, Joshua Coursey, Philip Desposito, James Hill, Wenonah Sneed, Hailey Hill, Ariana Hill, and Mackenzie Hill; great-grandchildren, Nelson, Nevae, Natalie, Savannah, Carson, Mason, and Jackson; numerous step great-grandchildren; and many other family members and friends whose lives she touched.

Charlene’s legacy will live on not only through the family she loved so dearly, but also through the countless individuals whose lives were made better because she believed in them. Her life was a testament to what can happen when compassion becomes a purpose and that purpose becomes a lifelong mission.

A graveside service will be held at the Lakeside Chapel at Greenleaf Memorial Park on Friday, September 25, 2026, at 11:00 a.m., with Rev. Scott Fitzgerald officiating.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorial donations be made to Lakota Waldorf School, 112 Wanbli Wakita Canku Drive, P.O. Box 527, Kyle, South Dakota 57752 or Shriners Children's, Attn: Office of Philanthropy, 2900 N. Rocky Point Drive, Tampa, FL 33607.