Doris was born on October 18, 1933, to Gunvor Eklund Slosted and Soren Slosted. She had two older siblings, Mary Ann Slosted Aker and Norman John Slosted. All three siblings were born in San Francisco, California.
When Doris was two years old, she developed Polio in her right arm and never had use of that arm again. Doctors advised her parents to let her try everything until she could learn to do what she wanted like playing ball, swimming, typing, sewing, and when she was in high school, she learned how to tie her own shoes. There was nothing she couldnÕt do when she put her mind to it.
In 1942, her mother developed asthma, and the family moved to Oakdale, California, but her father continued working in San Francisco as a foreman for stevedores. Doris enjoyed the warm weather, swimming in the canal, climbing trees, picking fresh apricots off the tree or buying a bucket of grapes from the neighbor for ten cents.
Doris loved school, but found it difficult to hold books, write with her left hand, cut and color.
Doris attended Oakdale High School and belonged to the Future Teachers of America. A teacher told her that children would make fun of her so she decided to pursue a secretarial career. Her business teacher taught her how to type with one hand when he noticed that she was ÒpokeÓ typing. While taking business machines at college she would teach many students, and that teacher encouraged her to become a teacher which became a lifelong career. Her first teaching job was in Fairfield, California, teaching 3rd grade for four years. She then moved to Santa Barbara where she taught at Harding School. Then she spent one year teaching in Germany for the Army. Doris retired from teaching after 39 years, but after retirement substitute taught for another 17 years. Teaching was truly her calling!
Doris married Thomas Hill on August 6, 1983. They were married for 36 years. Tom preceded her in death on 4/14/2020.
Doris was always a Christian and loved the Lord. She and Tom were both very involved in the Church, teaching Sunday School, hosting and greeting. Tom and Doris were faithful members of both the Free Methodist Church of Santa Barbara and its daughter church, Light & Life Isla Vista, for over forty years.
Doris was preceded in death by her parents, Gunvor and Soren Slosted, her husband, Thomas R. Hill, and her sister, Mary Ann Slosted Aker. Her brother, Norman John Slosted, died less than 3 weeks after Doris.
Doris is survived by her sister-in-law, Peggy Slosted, nephews, Norman Slosted (Mary Slosted) and Troy Slosted, nieces, Patty (Aker) Gapinski (Arnie Swanson), Joann (Aker) Petree (Joe Petree), Sharon (Aker) Cox (Andy Cox), Kristin (Aker) Blaine (John Blaine), niece Jeannie Hall (Matt Hall) and nephew Ralph Busick (Tami Busick), and many great-nieces and -nephews, and great-great-nieces and -nephews.
The memorial service will take place on Friday, October 29 at 11:00 AM at the Free Methodist Church of Santa Barbara.
