Danelle Holtz Hill

On Wednesday, September 23rd Danelle Holtz Hill, passed unexpectedly in Denver of natural causes leaving a tapestry of friendships that she had filled with grace and love. It is not surprising that this gentle one, filled with so much love, would arrive in this world on Valentine's Day 1963. Born to Don and Dorothy Holtz in Great Falls, MT. Danelle lived with her parents in Great Falls for only a few short months when her father's work took them to Missouri. When she was nine months old a new opportunity in air pollution control took the family to Chicago. Danelle would later follow her father into environmental work. Danelle loved the City of Chicago where she spent her first seven years. Her parents decided to return to their beloved Montana in January of 1970. After her parents' divorce Danelle and her mother then lived in Missoula while her mother attended college. In 1972 they moved to Denver where they lived for two years. However, Montana beckoned again and they returned to live in Great Falls. Danelle was able to finish her schooling in Great Falls. She graduated from Great Falls High School in 1981 with honors. More importantly she has established many lifelong friendships. In the fall of 1981, Danelle went with scholarships in hand to Missoula to attend the University of Montana. She graduated in 1985, once again with honors, receiving her BA in Business and Interpersonal Communications. Danelle met her first husband, Steve Nielsen, while attending the University. They moved to Denver after graduation in 1985 and where married in 1986. Danelle began a Master's Degree program at the University of Denver when she received the joyous news that she was about to be a mother. Her beautiful daughter, Hannah Charlotte Nielsen was born May 8TH, 1991. Her family applauded her for completing her Masters in Environmental Policy and Management at the University of Denver in 1994 while working and being a new mother. Steve and Danelle later divorced but remained lifelong friends. Danelle married Michael Hill in 2008. Danelle and Michael were best friends and business partners. But, most importantly they were the love of each other's lives. They built their businesses, raised their families, traveled the world and all the while they loved and supported each other every day. Theirs was a short but truly joyous and loving marriage filled with family, friends and little adventures. Danelle's greatest loves were always her family and friends. Her special talent for befriending and nurturing lifetime friendships was her true gift. All who came in contact with her were changed and touched by her thoughtfulness and gentle ways. She was an avid reader, creative gourmet cook and a lover of the outdoors. Her father taught her to ski at an early age and she became an accomplished skier. She loved skiing, hiking and camping in the Colorado Rockies and kayaking on the Missouri river in Montana. Along the way Danelle took up golf winning a ""longest drive"" contest in an Arizona golf tournament. In 2015 Danelle and her husband purchased a piece of Montana on the Missouri River. They had been making big plans these last few months to build a family cabin on their property and they were dreaming of great get-togethers with family and friends. Danelle was always generous with her time and resources volunteering over the years. One cause in particular dear to her heart was the Denver Rescue Mission where she participated in numerous fund raising events. Twice she organized amateur drag races at Bandimere Speedway to raise money for the Mission. She was also fond of organizing a children's toy drive each year to help stock the Mission's toy store that allowed needy parents to choose free toys for their children at Christmas. One of Danelle's more esoteric charity projects was to collect bras for needy women in Africa and her husband recalls negotiating hundreds of bras on his way about their house during that project. Danelle achieved success in her professional career. She entered banking upon graduation from the University of Montana but soon became interested in insurance. In 1991, with financial backing from William S. Freberg, Danelle cofounded Freberg Environmental Insurance also known as FEI. FEI is a Managing General Agency focused on providing insurance products to the environmental services industry. Danelle's special talent at FEI was recruiting, training and leading the underwriting and customer service staff. She led that organization as the Executive Vice President for 17 years. Danelle left FEI in 2008 when it was acquired by Willis Group, a multinational insurance broker based in London. FEI still operates today, continuing to employ many of the people Danelle recruited, has sold over one billion dollars in insurance products nationwide and helped countless environmental clean-up projects go forward. In 2009 Danelle cofounded Hill Program Mangers, LLC. Her new company is also a Managing General Agency and is focused on providing insurance products to Architects, Engineers, Design Build Contractors and the Energy Services Industry in the United Sates. All of Danelle's current and former coworkers truly loved her and will miss her gentle leadership. Danelle is survived by her husband, Michael Hill (Denver), her daughter Hanna Charlotte Nielsen (Denver), her father Don Holtz (Joan) Pasadena, her mother Dorothy McCartney (Great Falls), her sister Tennyson Noyes (Peter) Hilo, HI, her brother Matthew McCartney (Great Falls), her step children, Ryan Hill (Denver), William Hill (Melissa) Denver, Margaret Hill (Denver), her very close family friend James Proctor (Denver), her first husband Steve Nielsen (Denver), her beloved but goofy dog Oscar as well as many cherished aunties, uncles and cousins. She was proceeded in death by her grandparents, Ronald & Charlotte Holtz and her stepfather Lee McCartney. Memorials are suggested to be made to the Denver Rescue Mission, 6100 Smith Road, Denver CO 80216. https://www.denverrescuemission.org/donate. Or, the Dumb Friends League, 2080 S. Quebec St., Denver CO 80231. http://www.ddfl.org/ways-to-give/donate/memorial-tribute.