Betty Hill passed from this life and entered into the presence of her Lord, Jesus Christ on January 11th, 2026 in Alvin, Texas. Born Betty Jo Carrel on February 25th, 1945 at Kaiser hospital in San Diego, California. Betty was 80 years old, when the Lord called her home. She was the daughter of John Morton Carrel and Helen Francis Higgenbotham Carrel.

She was preceded in death by her father and mother, John and Helen Carrel, her father-in-law and mother-in-law, James and Mary Hill; her step-mother-in-law, Chris Hill; and her brother-in-laws, Leo Ehlers and Charles Hammonds.

Betty is survived by her loving husband of 59 years, Ronald Lee Hill; son James John Hill and wife Carrie Hill of League City, grandchildren, Camden Lee Hill, Kylie Marie Hill, and Mackenzie Laine Hill of League City; her sister, Mary Ehlers of Escondido, California; her brother-in-law and sister,  Brian and Beverly James of Vista, California; her sister-in-law, Carolyn Hammonds of Lebanon, Tennessee; and her nieces and nephews and their children all of whom she loved deeply.

Betty graduated from Clairemont Mesa High School in 1963 at the age of 18. She attended Clairemont Mesa Community College after high school, but completed and received her bachelor’s degree in History from Georgia State University later in her life. Through out her career, Betty performed administrative tasks primarily at universities in California and Georgia. From 1966 to 1972, she performed administrative duties for Dr. Schrauzer, a Chemistry professor at UCSD. For a short stint, she went to work for a local radio station, until finding another position at the IRT corporation, a manufacturer of automated industrial x-ray inspection systems, where she performed proposal writing and general administration. When the family moved to Germany from 1981 to 1986, she performed computer training for the Burroughs corporation as well as a stocked merchandise at the local US government post exchanges. The family returned to the United States and she found an office manager position in the College of Business Administration for Georgia State University in downtown Atlanta. She worked for Georgia State’s College of Business in several positions from 1987 until her retirement in August of 2002. 

Betty and Ron retired shortly after they found out that their first grandchild, Camden, was expected. They moved from Peachtree City, Georgia and built a home in Alvin, Texas to be near their son and his family. Once they moved into their Alvin home, they worked on many gardening and landscaping  projects together. 

Betty loved to travel and early in life aspired to be a flight attendant. Even though that career didn’t happen, the family traveled extensively throughout the United States. Moving to Germany was such a unique opportunity, where the family took advantage of their location and traveled all over western Europe in the five years that they lived there. Betty and Ron also traveled to Canada, Costa Rica, Mexico, and New Zealand with their son, JJ, as well as trips to the Holy Land and Egypt.

Betty was an avid reader and actively participated in a couple of local book clubs as well as Bible studies at Bay Area Church and University Baptist Church. In addition to participating in these groups, she often organized or led them. She also enjoyed decorating for the monthly senior connection group at Bay Area Church.

Betty will be missed by all who knew her. Our sorrow is only for ourselves and is fleeting given an eternal perspective. We know that she has been welcomed into God’s presence and that one day we will see her again.

A celebration of life reception will be held from 10:00am – 12:00pm on Monday January 19th at Bay Area Church, 4800 W. Main Street, League City, Texas. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made in Betty’s name to Children at Heart Ministries located in Round Rock, TX https://www.cahm.org/Site/Ways-You-Can-Help/donate.aspx.