Marie Lyons Hill’s example remembered

Marie Lyons Hill was woman who has exemplified the true meaning of Christian warrior.
With the full armor of God, she blazed through the trails of injustice, poverty, suffering and hatred looking ahead toward the many success generations to come. The risks taken were just a part of the process that guaranteed their success. How proud she was to see the result of her efforts when Sen. Barack Hussein Obama was elected as president of the United States of America. Despite her footsteps growing short, she was determined to attend the 2008 Inauguration. You can imagine her excitement to witness his re-election for a second term. Because of Dr. King’s works to lay the path, Mrs. Hill developed the strength to walk in his foot prints which left a trail for President Obama and many more to follow.
Marie Lyons Hill was born to Mr. and Mrs. Gaines Lyons Sr., of Mangham. She had two brothers and two sisters, all whom proceeded her in death. She loved her family consisting of six nieces, six great nieces, five nephews, five great nephews, four great, great nephews and cousins. One thing she loved more than her family was God and serving him. She served as a deaconess at the Greater Pilgrim Baptist Church in Mangham, Louisiana under the pastorate of Pastor Lionel Robinson.
After starting elementary school in Mangham, she graduated from the former Eula D. Britton High School in Rayville. She attended Grambling State University majoring in elementary education.
She followed her planned path of college and marriage. While teaching in the Richland Parish School System, she took a vow to make things better than the circumstances of inequities that existed between the races.
She took on the task of conducting protests and petitions to bring about a needed change. These acts were not always accepted, even among the Black community which she was trying to protect. Along with Claude Minor and many others she helped to organize the Martin Luther King Society and observance activities. She served as President until she recognized the need to pass the torch. She remained a member of this organization and the Richland Parish Teacher’s Association, until her death.
As an advocate of education, she has endowed the Marie Hill Education Fund to aid college bound students with financial expenses. She believed all foundations should be built on the solid foundation of Jesus Christ.