Obituary of Kenneth Lyle Hill

It is with heavy hearts that the family of Kenneth Lyle Hill announce his passing on November 2nd in St. Paul, Minnesota after a long struggle with complications from Myasthenia Gravis. He was surrounded by those he loved the most: his wife and partner in everything, Susan Hill, his two children Kate Hill and Amy Hill Cosmini, and their spouses, Charlotte Dragga and Charles Cosimini. He is also survived by his beloved grandchildren, Lucca and Leo Cosimini, his mother, Marilyn Hill, and his four brothers and sisters. He is preceded in death by his father Richard E. Hill.

Kenneth Hill was born in Neenah, Wisconsin. He attended Kalamazoo College in Michigan with a degree in Speech and Theater before obtaining his Masters of Fine Arts at Trinity University in Texas. Throughout all of his travels, Kenneth Hill remained deeply committed to his home state. He tried to never miss a Green Bay Packers game; he found joy in Wisconsin’s nature where he could often be found going on walks in the Ceresco Prairie behind Ripon College or exploring the boardwalks at Horicon Marsh; and he loved attending outdoor shows at the American Players Theater. His children fondly remember that Kenneth would encourage them to explore the beauty of Wisconsin by taking them on “left right” trips in the summer.

Kenneth spent over thirty years as a Theater Professor at University of Wisconsin Fond du Lac and then Ripon College. At Ripon, Kenneth helped, along with his wife Susan and his colleagues, developed an exceptional liberal arts theater program. To many of his students, he was a mentor, a parent away from home, and a supporting presence when it was most needed. He also founded and then ran the Ripon Summer Players for over 20 years, and through the joy of theater, gave so much back to the community he called home. He touched countless lives through his dedication, his care, his brilliant imagination, and his sense of humor. He was a gifted director, teacher, actor, and singer.

Kenneth’s love of teaching was only surpassed by his love of his family. Kenneth was always in attendance at his daughters’ concerts, dance recitals or plays, and was available at any hour of the day to offer advice, guidance, and encouragement. He and his wife, Susan, would prioritize family by including his daughters in preparation for productions at Ripon College, and looked forward to traveling to the Keweenaw peninsula every summer with family where Kenneth would read, hike, and even venture out to swim in Lake Superior. Later in life, Kenneth moved to Minneapolis, Minnesota to be closer to his two grandsons.

While words cannot express the sorrow the family feels right now, they want to celebrate the wonderful life they did have together. A celebration of life service will be held at Benstead Theater in Ripon Wisconsin on December 14th at 2:00 pm, with a reception to follow at the Ripon First Congregational Church Fellowship Hall. In lieu of flowers, the family is asking for donations to either the American Players Theater (https://americanplayers.org/support/donate-now/operations) or the ACLU (https://action.aclu.org/give/make-gift-aclu-someones-memory).