Lori Hill, of Polk City, Iowa, passed away peacefully on February 6, 2026, surrounded by her loving husband, children, pastor, and friends.
Visitation will be held from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m., Friday, February 13, 2026, at Lakeside Fellowship Church (1121 W. Bridge Rd., Polk City, IA 50226). A Celebration of Life will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, February 14, 2026, also at Lakeside Fellowship Church, with lunch to follow.
Lori was born September 10, 1958, in Eldora, Iowa, to Carroll and Ruth Espe. She grew up in a loving family with her sister, Karla, and brother, Rick, on a farm near Radcliffe, IA. She attended Radcliffe High School.
In 1975, Lori married the love of her life, Alan Hill. Together they celebrated 50 years of marriage and built a life centered on love, faith, and family. Lori was a devoted mother to their three children and put her family first in every decision she made in life. She was always eager to help Alan with every endeavor he pursued.
Lori’s interest in interior decorating led her to sell Home Interiors for several years at a very young age. Her success gained her multiple awards. The Lord blessed her with strong Christian friends through this work, and her faith in Him grew stronger because of their influence. After this, Lori dedicated her career to serving others through her work with the United States Post Office where she worked as a Postmaster. She retired after 25 years of service.
Her continued love for decorating brought many opportunities to serve the church and her family. She loved decorating a beautiful table for the Grace event at church and inviting the women in her family to attend. Every holiday was filled with great attention to detail, making festivities as beautiful and meaningful as possible.
Lori cherished being “Nana” to her ten grandchildren and took great joy in being present for their lives. She rarely missed an event and always found a way to make each grandchild feel special. She made sure each one felt her love very personally.
Lori spent her life caring deeply for others, especially her family and close friends. She had a gift for making every holiday and birthday feel special and memorable. She made everything beautiful and she had a way of making each person around her feel seen, valued, and loved. Her favorite place to spend quality time with her family and friends was Florida. She and Alan spent many evenings enjoying life and Rook with their wonderful friends, the “Rookies”.
Jesus Christ was the center of Lori’s life. She did not fear death. Although she possessed many godly characteristics, she did not trust in them to gain her eternal life. She trusted only in the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross. She was active at Lakeside Fellowship in Polk City. Her faith shaped the way she lived and the way she loved others. She was a natural encourager who shared godly wisdom and thoughtful advice with her children and those around her. Through her journey of cancer, she spoke of God’s peace, goodness, and faithfulness at work in her life. The greatest blessing was the beautiful love that grew between Lori and Alan during these years of treatment.
Lori is survived by her loving husband, Alan Hill, 3 children, and 10 grandchildren; her daughter, Amy and Nate Thompson and their children, Nora, Georgiana, and Asher of Princeton, MN; her son, Eric and Tara Hill and their children, Caleb, Elias, and Noah of Polk City, IA; her son, Jacob and Christina Hill and their children, Evan, Brielle, Ava, and Jayla of Alleman, IA; her sister, Karla (Denny) Neubauer; her brother, Rick (Jayne) Espe; her mother-in-law, Marilyn Hill; her brother/sisters-in-law, Mike (Gloria) Hill, Deb (Rand) Dubberke, Laurie (Rick) Reisetter, Julie (Jeff) Fudge, Becky (Jim) Dose, and many other family and friends.
She was preceded in death by her father, Carroll Espe; her mother, Ruth Espe; and her father-in-law, Joe Hill Jr.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to Lakeside Church Youth Missions Scholarships.
Send flowers to the service of Lori Ann Hill
Doug Skartvedt sent Beautiful Dreams for Lori Ann Hill - February 13, 2026
Carol Hinderaker sent Living Spirit Dishgarden for Lori Ann Hill - February 11, 2026
James Johnson sent Sweet Moments for Lori Ann Hill - February 11, 2026
Scott F. Erickson sent Beautiful Dreams for Lori Ann Hill - February 10, 2026
To Al and family, We are deeply sorry for your loss, but knowing Lori is now in the arms of the Savior, we celebrate Lori's life of faith, love, and service. May God grant you His peace in this difficult time and always.
Psalm 116:15, "Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his saints"
With deepest sympathies, love the Cherney family
I got to know Lori personally when we were Home Interiors & Gifts consultants. We took a bus trip to Dallas to attend their annual convention. From the moment I met her, the friendship was instant. We shared a saving faith in Jesus Christ which means we will meet again. Praying for comfort for the family as they mourn.