Our precious mother, wife, daughter, sister, aunt, niece, and friend, Stephanie Ann, gained her angel wings on August 28, 2022. Stephanie was born August 15, 1984 in Arvada, CO and passed away from a brief illness in Seattle, WA.

Although born in Colorado, Stephanie spent most of her life growing up in the Tri-Cities, WA area. She graduated from Handford High School and Columbia Basin College on a softball scholarship. Steph spent several years in Albuquerque, New Mexico where she learned to snow board and played a lot of softball. She left many friends behind but not forgotten when returning to Tri-Cities, WA, where she reunited with former area softball players and met new friends in the softball community. She was first a mother, held several jobs in accounts payable, and was a construction technician at the Hanford Site until the birth of her precious daughter RoriAnn (“Smalls”).

“Oh, SNAP!…” Steph enjoyed visiting Bishops Castle near Rye Colorado, hanging out with all her softball friends, snowboarding with brother Danny and cousin Patrick, was outgoing and had a smile and a hug for everyone. She was a tough strong woman, was down to earth, “told it like it was” and had a magnetic personality.

Stephanie leaves behind her husband, Luke Hillman, daughter, RoriAnn, and step-children Luke and Arya of Yakima, WA; mother, Barbara Gillespie, Pueblo, CO; brothers Owen Gillespie, Monroeville, AL; Danial (Megan) Gillespie, Kennewick, WA; father, Robert Merkins, Golden, CO; parents-in-law, Dale and Stacy Hillman, Othello, WA; brothers-in-law Seth and Drew Hillman; sisters-in-law Emily (Levi) Ponczoch, Coeur d’Alene, ID; Betsy (Jason) Bowling, Caldwell, ID; Rebecca Guzman, Othello, WA.  Also, left behind are nieces and nephews:  Kyle “KJ”, Haylee, Emalyn, Annabelle, Madyson, and Gage Gillespie; Brianna, Naraiah, Brooklyn, Madilynn, Brody and Cooper Hillman; Addison and Elias “Cash” Ponczoch; and Peter and Lila Bowling.  Also, Aunt Deb (Mark) Reha, Uncle Curtis “Cutie Pie” (Linnea Laurila) Gillespie, Uncle “Monkle” Marty Gillespie, five cousins, and Great Aunt Mim Gillespie.  She had so many close New Mexico and Washington softball friends – women’s fast-pitch, women’s, men’s, and co-ed slow-pitch – too numerous to list but still close to our hearts. Stephanie was pre-deceased by step-dad “Papa” Jim Kelley, Richland, WA; grandparents Jim and Emma Gillespie, Pueblo, CO; brother-in-law, Rory Hillman, Othello, WA; and Aunt LeeAnn Gillespie, Pueblo, CO.

Stephanie was way too young to leave us and we will all miss her so very much.  Please help us keep her alive in RoriAnn’s life.  Stephanie had a passion for dogs and leaves behind Champ, Sis, Max and Zara.  Donations can be made to a pet adoption and protection agency of your choice or organization supporting our military veterans and their families.

“Goodbyes are not forever. Goodbyes are not the end. They simply mean I’ll miss you, until we meet again.”