Obituary of Kimberley Ann Pillow

BLYTHEWOOD – Kimberley Ann Pillow (59) passed peacefully on June 2nd after a fierce battle with ovarian cancer.  A dedicated and reliable mother, daughter, wife, sister, relative, friend, teacher and fiancée -- Kim will be remembered by all of those who loved her and by the hundreds of middle school Reading Intervention students she taught to read.  Kim was so dedicated to the Faculty, Staff and her students that, in spite of her hospitalization and chemotherapy appointments, she never stopped working full-time at E. L. Wright Middle School.  Her legacy of love and her commitment to bettering the lives of her students will continue through the Kim Pillow Endowment for Reading Intervention, Tutoring and Scholarship at E.L. Wright Middle School.

Kim was preceded in death by her mother, Joan G. Denton of Birmingham, MI and her paternal grandparents, Thomas and Mae Denton of Clare, MI. She is survived by her father, Ronald T. Denton (Carole) of Bingham Farms, MI; her son, James Reid Pillow of Tuscaloosa, AL; her brother Gregory A. Denton of Glendale, CA; her fiancée Arthur L. Patterson of Blythewood, SC; her uncle Robert A. Denton (Sandra) of Williamsburg, MI; her maternal aunts Patricia Van Emmerik of Kailua, HI and Mary McLaren of Dundee, Scotland; and several first cousins who remember her fondly: Marie Kane of Honolulu, HI; Chris Van Emmerik of Fairbanks, AK; Steven (Debbie) Van Emmerik of Kaneohe, HI; Thomas R. Denton (Rebecca) of Clarkston, MI; Jay M. Denton (Amy) of Pinckney, MI; Jonathan R. Denton (Brenna) of Saint Joseph, MI. She is also survived by dozens of great friends she met along the way – you know who you are, and you know how much Kim treasured your friendship.

Kim was born July 13, 1960, grew up and attended Seaholm High School in her hometown of Birmingham, Michigan. She graduated from Hillsdale College (’82) and earned her Masters Degree in Education from Michigan State University. She began her teaching career in Hawaii in 1983, taught in Orange County, CA, continued at the DODDS schools at Kadena Air Base in Okinawa and later in Gretna, LA. Kim left teaching for a very successful career as a small business owner in third-party logistics in Seattle, but then returned to teaching in Carmel, IN. In 2015 she moved to Columbia and started as a Reading Interventionist at E. L. Wright.

Kim’s family would like to thank her wonderful friends and the E.L. Wright family for the awesome tribute and loving memories; Dr. William Merritt and the staff at SCOA for giving us hope in our time of need; CARIS Hospice and Right At Home for an outstanding level of care and dignity in her final days.      A celebration of Kim’s life is scheduled for the fourth of July at 137 Moonlight Drive in Leesville, SC. Her ashes will be interred by her family at a memorial service in Birmingham, Michigan in September.    

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the Kim Pillow Endowment for Reading Intervention, Tutoring and Scholarship at E. L. Wright Middle School (checks can be made payable to “The Kim Pillow Endowment” and sent to 1136 University Parkway, Blythewood, SC 29016). Kim was loved and will be missed.

Friends and Family may sign the online guestbook at www.southcarolinacremation.com