Cheryl Jeanette Hill

“Well done, good and faithful servant;... enter thou into the joy of thy lord” (Matthew 25:23) Cheryl Jeanette Hill, born in New Haven, Connecticut, on April 2, 1956, was the second oldest of eight children born to the late Daisy Mae Lee-Hill and James Henderson Hill Sr.; however, all were raised by their late Aunt Lucinda Ratley (Herbert). Cheryl went home to the Lord unexpectedly on Saturday, November 29, 2025. Cheryl attended New Haven Public Schools and graduated from Richard C. Lee High School in 1975. She also attended Norfolk State University in Virginia and received a Business Certificate from the New Haven Academy of Business in 1976, most recently graduating from the H.O.P.E. Program at Yale New Haven Hospital in 2020. She was employed at Pargament Inc. for a few years before retiring after 20 years at Blue Cross–Blue Shield. She relocated her family to Landover, Maryland, in 2000. While in Maryland, she worked at Walter Reed Army Medical Center and Viant Insurance Company. Cheryl ultimately returned home to Connecticut after early retirement in 2012 with her youngest daughter and granddaughter. Cheryl had a deep passion for family, music, and sports. She was known for her love of cooking and hosting family gatherings. Cheryl was famously known for her collard and mustard greens, tuna macaroni, baked macaroni, homemade stuffing, fried fish, sweet potato pie, peach cobbler, and her granddaughter’s favorite dish—smoked neckbones with rice. She loved basketball and was a lifelong Lakers fan, with LeBron James being her favorite player. She enjoyed watching all th season games, even attending professional games with her sister Donna. Cheryl also loved music and concerts, attending several with her 3 sisters and first cousins, seeing some of her favorites including Earth, Wind & Fire, The Whispers, Gladys Knight, Patti LaBelle, and Diana Ross. Cheryl was a devoted member of Beulah Heights First Pentecostal Church, where she introduced all her children to Christ in the 1990s. In 2021, Cheryl rejoined Beulah, rededicating her life to Christ and being re-baptized in 2025. She served as a board member in the Women’s Ministry, on the Junior Usher Board, and supported the Integration Food Pantry. She had a deep passion for community, family, and volunteer work. Affectionately known as “Mama Cheryl” by her neighbors and her children’s friends, she was loved and cherished by many. She loved celebrations and taking pictures and was known for treating everyone like family—whether through a plate of food, a phone call, a prayer, or a smile. She always showed up, no matter how big or small the moment, never missing an opportunity to celebrate her loved ones. Cheryl deeply loved her children and grandchild. As a single mother of four, she worked tirelessly to provide beyond their needs. With the loss of both of her children’s fathers, Ulysses Myrick and Oliver Murphy, her love and dedication to motherhood grew even stronger. In May 2008, Cheryl was given a new reason to love even harder when her youngest daughter gave birth to her first and only grandchild, Jamiya Bryant. If you knew Cheryl, then you knew how much she loved Jamiya, affectionately known as “Grandma’s Heart.” Cheryl never missed a beat in helping Olivia raise her, becoming the ultimate grandmother. Early retirement allowed Cheryl to be an even more present mother and grandmother, supporting her family through all the highs and lows over the years. Her children would like their mother to be remembered for the love, care, and joy she brought to everyone she encountered. Cheryl leaves behind to cherish her memory, her daughter’s; Deborah Myrick, Olivia Hill-Murphy, Sons: Matthew Murphy, Donnie McDaniel and her grandchild, Jamiya Bryant. Her Goddaughters: Danielle Hill, Jacqueline McKenzie-Porter [Britian, Dallas, & Dwayne Jr.] & her Granddog, Mazi Hill. Her Siblings: Celeste Hill, Kevin Hill, Donna Conyers(Charles), & Godsister; Beverly McKenzie. Nieces: Tanisha, Shakeina, Whitney, Tanaya, Talia, and Jasmine. Nephews: Rameik, Gregory, Georgie, George, Jason, Joshua, Noah, Hakeem and Dontrell. Aunts: Sally Lee, Gladys Lee and a host of other beloved great nieces and nephews + family and friends. Special Cousins: Eva Smith-Bryant, Earl, Beverly & Marie Hill, RoseAnn Watts, Cynthia Thompson, Brad Lee, Naro Lee Jr. & Desiree Clayton. Spiritual Family; Sisters: Lillie Mary Bowes, Kathy Hailey(Bernard), Debbie Glover(Micheal) & Pearl Murphy. Nieces: Sherry[Kyraisa,Jayla], Tennille, Alexis, &Mariah Daughters: Elizabeth Parson, Naimah Moore [Ever], Shalene McClam(Darrell), Jessica Harp(Travis), Deb Konareski [Lillian], Tawanna Barnhill(Jayda), Alanna Hooks, & Krystal Turner, Sons: Lawrence Washington III(Natalie), Robert L. Smith IV (Krystal), Kyshant Moore, Edward Konareski. Best Girlfriends: Dawn Gause, Willie Mae Jones, Faye Johnson, Donna Turner, Shirley Myers, Ronitha Howard & Stella Williams. Cheryl is predeceased by her first born, her son Jamar A. Myrick; Brothers: James Hill Jr. & Douglas Hill, Sisters: Lou Ann Hill-Brown, Deborah Hill & Sisters-in-love Mary Edwards-Hill & Michelle Jones-Hill. Aunts: Mary Hill, Minnie Hill-Bryant, Julia Hill-Long, Pearline Hill-Frink and Rosa Lee-Fair. Uncles: Cleveland Hill, Porter Hill, Springer Hill, Fred Douglas Hill, Praisy Hill, John Harvest Hill, Roy Hill, Jefferson Lee Jr., Frank Lee Sr. and Naro Lee Sr. Nephew: James Hill III. Special Cousins: Darcel Lee & Terri Fair-Allen and countless other cherished relatives. "For if we live, we live to the Lord; and if we die, we die to the Lord. Therefore, whether we live or die, we are the Lord’s." (Romans 14:8)

Cheryl Jeanette Hill

April 2, 1956 - November 29, 2025