Obituaries 10/13/2022
Glynn Dewitt Barron
BOSSIER, La. – Glynn Dewitt Barron, 88, of Bossier City, La. passed away October 5, 2022. Glynn was born October 15, 1933, in Taylor, Mississippi to Earl and Clister Barron.
He proudly served in the US Air Force for more than 22 years, where he achieved the rank of Master Sergeant.
Glynn is survived by his daughter, Glynna Barron; sons, Jeff Barron (Pat) and Rhon Barron; sister, Joyce Sullivan; grandchildren, Casey Green (Matt), Justin Barron (Deborah), Brian Hopper (Kristie), Britney Sprute (Chris), Allison Ditcharo (Tony), Jessica Barron and Katie Barron; and numerous great-grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Evelyn Joy Barron; brother, Macon Barron; sister, Velma Gibbons; and his parents. The funeral service was held Saturday, October 8, at Hill Crest Funeral Home in Haughton, La. at 2 p.m. Interment followed in Hill Crest Memorial Park.
Ronald Lee ‘Scooter’ Hill
BRANSON, Mo. – Ronald Lee “Scooter” Hill passed away peacefully on September 23, 2022 at Cox Medical Center in Branson, Mo. after a long illness. He was 61. He chose to be an organ donor. He was baptized April 9, 2021 at Cox Health in Springfield, Missouri by Chaplain Bob Faires.
Scooter was born in Water Valley on July 12, 1961, to Roy Gene Hill and Kay McCulley. By the time he was three, he was suspected of having musical abilities because he enjoyed singing while his grandmother, Nellie McCulley, accompanied him on the piano. He also sang TV jingles for products that he saw on the shelves as he was riding around in the cart at the grocery store.
By the time he was five, his family moved to Oxford and that is where he attended the first 11 years of public school, but he often came back to Water Valley on Saturday evenings to attend shows at Country Music World. At the age of nine he told his mom that he wanted a banjo or a guitar. When asked why, he said, “Because I think I can do that.”.After taking lessons for less than a year from Jim Wilson, one of the performers, he began to play specials on stage with Hubert Sanders and the Round Up Boys. He became a member of that band for a while. Guitar player Sam Higdon also encouraged him.
Scooter enjoyed attending bluegrass festivals and contests. He was invited to join Leola Mills and The Keys of Bluegrass, and they played festivals in several southern states and even cut a record to sell after their performances. At the age of 12 he was booked to play a solo show at Horse Pens 40 near Steele, Ala. but after one performance, he decided solo was not for him. He walked straight up the hill and into a jam where he met Glen Tolbert, one of the most amazing bluegrass guitar pickers he had ever heard. They added J. P. Walker and became real crowd pleasers. Scooter also met Bobby Horton and Jerry Ryan of Three on A String in Alabama and he claimed them as his friends and mentors. They often invited him down to Birmingham to play with them.
Meanwhile, in Oxford, he learned to play tuba in the school band. He and Rickey Wilson were invited to play on Mrs. John Faulkner’s porch during the Oxford pilgrimage. Oxford High School and University Lyric Theater did a presentation of “The King and I” and Ronny Hill is listed in the orchestra under “Tuba.” He got to kick up his boot heels and sing in “Oklahoma” presented by OHS. He is listed as playing guitar and banjo in a University of Miss. presentation of the “Three Penny Opera.” For two years, he was chosen as a tenor in the Mississippi Honor Choir.
At the age of 16 he auditioned for Libertyland in Memphis and was selected to play at Fort Liberty in the Rebel Yell band. Although this was to be only a summer job, the band found work around town and stayed together for a few years. After graduating from Raleigh Egypt High School, Scooter attended a year at Memphis State University.
The Grable Agency booked two U. S. Defense Department tours, for Rebel Yell and he was off to tour the Caribbean and the Mediterranean. He also did a lot of sightseeing on the side. Scooter then became a member of 5th Avenue, playing around Memphis and traveling in the mid-west. After his return, he worked at Captain Bilbo’s near the river, beginning with TRAX, a trio and ending with MVP a nine piece show band. By this time he had added piano, synthesizer, steel guitar and harmonica to the list of instruments that he could play.
Around that time the Pyramid in Memphis was under construction, and a song had been commissioned for the grand opening. David Porter, a noted song writer and Gary Goin and Scooter Hill wrote and recorded “The Power of the Pyramid” for that occasion. Scooter also co-wrote “Knock Yourself Out,” which was recorded by The Fabulous Thunderbirds.
He moved to Branson, and became a utility musician and backup singer in Moe Bandy’s Americana Band. President George H. W. Bush came to Branson to attend a campaign rally at Silver Dollar City and Moe and his band played on Stage 1. In addition to their own performance they backed up Loretta Lynn, Glen Campbell and “Box Car” Willie. In the evening Moe and the band did a show to benefit the Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy and the President and First Lady attended.
Scooter also liked to work at Cove Recording – not only as a session musician and singer but also as recording and mixing and making his friends happy with the finished product. He kept several tapes containing “thank you” notes.
He decided to relocate to Pigeon Forge and work at Music Mountain theatre in the “Opry Stars” show. He got to work with Jim Ed Brown, Johnnie Russell, Jack Green and Jeannie Seeley. He also worked with Jeannie at the Nashville Palace Breakfast Club show. At the famous Bluebird Café, he got to present several of the songs that he had written and recorded.
Returning to Branson, he was honored to work with the Buck Trent Breakfast Show as Buck’s sidekick. Scooter admired Buck and had enjoyed watching him on TV.
Scooter enjoyed being a member of the “Country Tonight” show, and the crowd especially liked the songs that were done in the style of the Sons of the Pioneers. He also enjoyed playing in clubs with his good friends that he considered his brothers, Bucky Heard and Gary Myers, because they were free to choose the songs and the pace.
As his health began to fail, he decided to go back to school. He earned a master’s degree in Accounting from Missouri State and at the time of his death he was employed by Abacus CPAs, LLC.
His son, Michael, wrote of him, Scooter loved music, family, friends, and was an accomplished musician and songwriter. He never met a stranger in his entire life! His sense of humor, wit, and loving heart made him loved by everyone.
He is survived by a special friend and caregiver, Shelly Smith; four sons, Michael Hill (Erica), of Memphis, Chris Hill of Memphis and Taylon and Tobi Hill of Branson; five grandchildren, Pierce, Kade, Hyde and Ryder of Memphis and Milli of Branson; his mother, Kay McCulley of Water Valley; a step-mother, Bonnie Hill of Oxford; two half-brothers, John Hill (Nikki) of Hattiesburg and Jamie Hill (Averil) of New Albany; and his bonus family, Kara, Hunter and Hudson.
He was preceded in death by his father, Roy Gene Hill; and his grandparents, Raymond and Nellie Mae Harding McCulley, and Laverne Edwards.
A “Celebration of Life” service was held Sunday, October 9, at Crazy Craig’s Treehouse in Branson, Mo.
A memorial service will be held October 22 at 2 p.m. at First Christian Church, 1015 N. Main St. in Water Valley. Bro. Brandon Winters will officiate.
Connie Marrocola
WATER VALLEY – Connie Marrocola passed away Sunday, October 2, 2022, at Yalobusha General Hospital in Water Valley. Born March 30, 1957, in Phoenix, Az., she was 65.
Connie graduated from paramedic school and spent her life serving others. While in paramedic school, she met her husband, John Daniel Beeler.
Together they had two children, Ryan and Jonlyn. Although the couple divorced, they maintained a close friendship until his passing. Connie was an avid rock and bottle collector and loved listening to music with Melissa Ethrigde being one of her favorite artists. She also enjoyed reading mystery books and watching true crime shows. Connie is described by her family as free-spirited and peace-loving, enjoying living the “hippy” lifestyle.
Connie is survived by her children Jonlyn Beeler and Ryan Beeler; and her siblings, Raymond Campbell, Charlotte Jeffus, and Jamie Newland.
Connie was preceded in death by her siblings, Dorothy Hill, Charles Campbell, William Campbell, and Eunice Angel Clark. The family is planning a memorial service for a later date.