Norman K. Hill

NORMAN K. HILL, 86, of Sutherland, Iowa, passed away on Wednesday, January 28, 2026 in Cherokee, Iowa.

A come and go Celebration of Life will be held on Sunday April 12, 2026 following the burial of the cremains and military rites that will be at Waterman Cemetery in Sutherland, Iowa at 1:00 p.m. on Sunday, April 12, 2026. The Boothby Funeral Home of Cherokee, Iowa is assisting the family with arrangements. Online condolences may be left at www.boothbyfuneral.com.

Norm was born on September 24, 1939 at the Spencer Hospital to Myron and Bertina (Axdahl) Hill. He graduated from Sutherland High School in 1958. He enlisted in the United States Army Reserves in 1956 and then went on to active duty after high school graduation. He was stationed at Fort Leonard Wood in Missouri, Fort McCoy in Wisconsin and Fort Riley in Kansas. During his active duty, he was able to meet Elvis Presley. He continued for 6 more years with the Army Reserves during the Vietnam War. He enlisted in the Navy Reserve in 1984 and was assigned to Subic Bay in the Philippines. He was there a month every year until 1992. During Desert Storm, he spent 10 months in the Philippines and assisted packing up the Subic Bay camp when it closed and went to Yokosuka, Japan. Norm was extremely proud of his military service and the service of his family members, Mark Hill, Marc and Brian Rupp, and nephew Patrick Hill. Norm was privileged to serve with his son, Mark in the Navy Reserves and was fortunate to share many trips overseas as a father/son duo. They were stationed in the Philippines when Mount Pinatubo erupted.

He was united in marriage on June 5, 1982 to Nancy Gordon in Las Vegas, Nevada.

He worked on the railroad when he was 19 and it was the hardest job he had. After his active duty, he worked for the Cherokee Mental Health Institute in 1960 as a residential treatment worker until he became a patrolman for the Cherokee Police Department in 1962. He was promoted in 1965 to Assistant Chief and later earned the rank of Captain in 1967. He was selected as the Chief of Police in September 1968 and was there until 1991. After he became the chief of police he was nominated by an area FBI special agent and went to the FBI Academy in Quantico, Virginia in 1974. He was a member of the 97th Session of FBI National Academy, which is considered The West Point in law enforcement. He retired in 1992 when they moved to Sutherland.

He was a member of the Speculative Lodge #307 AF & AM, Sutherland American, Legion, and the NRA.

In his free time, he enjoyed hunting, leatherwork, making knives, watching NASCAR, going to the races and being on Mark’s Pit Crew, and spending time with family. He loved watching westerns, especially Gunsmoke.

He was preceded in death by his parents and his brother Jack Hill.

Norm will be greatly missed by his wife, Nancy of Sutherland, Iowa; children Mark (Janet) Hill of Cherokee, Iowa, Jackie (Bill) Slack of Clinton, New Jersey, Brian Rupp (fiancé Dawn Carney) of Burbank, South Dakota, and Marc (Jenn) Rupp of Wakonda, South Dakota; 16 grandchildren Megan Hill of Coralville, Iowa, Chris Hill of Coralville, Iowa, Paige Cedar of Cherokee, Iowa, Adam (Kaely) Cedar of Cherokee, Iowa; Steven Slack of New Jersey, Alexander Slack of New Jersey, Brian Slack of Savannah, Georgia, Trent (Ashley) Trudeau of Paullina, Iowa, Cole (Samantha) Rupp of Gayville, South Dakota, Clayton (Ami) Thompson of Tabor, South Dakota, Chase (Kali) Rupp of Yankton, South Dakota, Cayden Rupp of Wakonda, South Dakota, Nicole (JP) Dempsey of Des Moines, Iowa, Trysten Rupp of Sioux Falls, South Dakota, Madison Rupp of Yankton, South Dakota, and Taryn Rupp of Yankton, South Dakota; 9 great grandchildren; sister-in-law Betty Hill of Sutherland, Iowa; also several nieces and nephews.