Lois Bailey Hall's Obituary
Lois Bailey Hall, 82, beloved wife, mother, grandmother, sister, aunt, and friend, passed away on August 20, 2024. Her family was by her side, along with all the comfort that Haven Hospice care can bring. Prior to passing, she visited virtually with loved ones and heard recorded messages from dear friends. We are grateful to believe that the old has passed away, and all things have become new for her spirit in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:1-6, 8-17).
Born on October 24, 1941, in Graceville, Minnesota, Lois was second from youngest of Lind and Hanna Bailey’s five cherished children. Lois and her siblings grew up on the family’s farm south of Chokio, Minnesota. After graduating from Chokio High School, Lois worked as a nanny for a year to save up money to attend college. She became the first in her family to enroll.
Lois earned a bachelor’s degree from Mankato State University (MSU) where she met Rob at the MSU Ballroom. Rob promised her that if she married him, he would show her the world – she did, and he did! Rob adored Lois for six decades, and the two celebrated 59 years of marriage in July. Even weeks before she passed, Lois could not contain her love of dance and delight in music, often convincing Rob to join her in dance. Beyond traveling together, Rob and Lois also enjoyed outdoor walks, birding, attending to their poodles, and entertaining guests. Lois loved to spread joy and was known to take it upon herself to surreptitiously decorate their community entrance in Hernando County during the holidays and be the welcome wagon to new neighbors.
Lois was known for her deep love of children and family, her delight in celebrating fun moments in life, her strong will and active mind to effect positive change, her special smile when she had mischievous thoughts, her soft-spoken voice and wonderful belly laugh, as well as her unwavering, quiet faith. She loved sewing and textiles, finding treasures at thrift stores as well as adventures in art museums, indulging in vanilla ice cream and enjoying cozy experiences. She especially loved the water – swimming in it, fishing, taking bubble baths, or just being near a body of water and looking out over it. Some of Lois’ favorite sayings were: “Bloom where you are planted”; and one she credits her mom with was: “A smile is something you offer others to help them through their day”. She cared deeply about the feelings of others and celebrating diverse cultures. She was also very proud of her Irish and Norwegian heritage and the strong work ethic that she attributed to her ancestors who survived the potato famine.
Highlights from Lois’ career, which was dedicated to education as a schoolteacher, included touching the lives of many students with her creative integration of STEM concepts into everyday tasks. She was known for her wisdom, patience, and compassion. She diligently sought to add value to each place that she lived – applying Sir Robert Baden-Powell’s Boy Scout motto, to leave it better than how she found it. After her children were well-established with their own endeavors, Lois completed additional education to earn her Collegiate Professional License in Work and Family Studies- Home Economics Education (2000). She became a member of the Northern Virginia Chapter of Phi Delta Kappa International (2001), and she received the Phi Delta Kappa, Northern Virginia Chapter 1144, Educator of the Year award in 2002. In 2003, she received Commendation for Excellence from the Fairfax County School Board as the Teacher of the Year Nominee. She retired from Fairfax County Public Schools after 23 cumulative years of service. After retirement, Lois was appointed as a member of the Hernando County Fine Arts Council in 2007, where she spearheaded celebration of art in new venues, such as “Art in the Park”.
Lois’ significant contributions to education will continue posthumously as she has donated her body to the Anatomical Board of the State of Florida ( https://anatbd.acb.med.ufl.edu/ ) at the University of Florida’s College of Medicine. In addition to serving as a regular blood donor during her life, Lois was motivated to donate her body due to her experiences with clinicians who marveled at her chest X-rays that revealed a rare anatomical variation known as situs inversus. May her gift be memorable and serve as a reminder that variations among us exist and are not always deleterious.
Lois’ memory is cherished by her husband, Rob, and their two children and spouses, Alexis (Andy) and Sacha (Dawn), their three grandchildren, Adam, Andrew, and Rachel, in addition to several nieces and nephews. Lois’ legacy of love, wit, kindness, and devotion will live on in the hearts of her family, friends, and all those she taught. All who knew her referred to her as “such a sweet lady”, especially as she aged. She continuously made a point to say, “thank you for taking care of me” to all who did. Lois is preceded in death by her parents and siblings: Roy, Lyle, and Janis. She is survived by her dear sister, Doris.
A celebration of life will be held at Abiding Savior Lutheran Church in Gainesville, Florida (https://abidingsavior.info/ ), on September 20 at 1:30 p.m. A ceremony at Artichoke Lutheran Cemetery in Minnesota will follow.
In lieu of flowers, the family kindly requests that donations be made to one of the following organizations, in honor of Lois’s generous spirit and commitment to helping others:
• Haven Hospice: https://beyourhaven.org/donate
• ElderCare of Alachua County: https://eldercare.ufhealth.org/get-involved/donate/
• Alzheimer’s Association: https://www.alz.org/
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