Lora Geneva Hail

With almost 95 trips around the sun, the last surviving child of Minnie and Willie Billings joined the fold on May 13, 2022.

Lora Geneva was born December 27, 1927 in Freer, Texas. She was the sixth of nine children. Siblings that preceded her in death are Dora Mae, Ralph, Rector Thomas, Amy Ann, Shirley Patrick, Emma June, Carter Williams, and Wesley Rogers. Her family moved north to San Saba when she was four years old. There, as a little girl, at the Harmony Ridge Church, she laid eyes on and was smitten with the love of her life, John Wesley Hail. After graduating high school in San Saba, and Durham’s Business College in Austin with an associates arts degree, she rode a Greyhound bus to California and married John at the age of 19.

Residing in Oxnard, California, she obtained a job at the U.S. Naval Construction Battalion Center, Yard and Docks Division, as a secretary. She and John purchased their first home in Port Hueneme in 1950. She served as PTA President for Hueneme Elementary 1955-56, and was a founding member of the Port Hueneme Fire Department Ladies Auxiliary in 1957. She was also the Brownie Troop Leader for Port Hueneme from 1957-1959, and provided services as the Avon Lady for a major portion of Port Hueneme. In the late 1950’s, she ran the Mutual of New York Life Insurance office at the U.S. Naval Construction Battalion Center. From 1960-66 she was a matron at the Ventura School for Girls, near Camarillo.

At 42, she attended Ventura College earning an AA degree in science. At 50, she attended Oxnard Beauty College and became a certified esthetician. She practiced as an esthetician at the Touch of Class Salon in Camarillo until she retired. She did all this while being a full-time property manager. She loved art classes and painted for many years throughout her life and was a long standing member of the Camarillo United Methodist Church.

Although educated as a secretary, she always wanted to be an architect — eventually drawing architectural house plans and seeing her creations being built by her husband several times. This included two, two-story houses, a dream home, an apartment building, and two major garage renovations.

Lora was preceded in death by her son, John Thomas, and husband, John Wesley Hail. She is survived by daughters Linda Rains (Gary), Paula Roady (Mark), and son, John Patrick, as well as her (unofficially) adopted daughter Lois Boswell (Monty), granddaughters Leah Johannesson (Bjoern), Lauren Roady, and great grandchildren, David and Everly Johannesson. She also leaves behind numerous nieces and nephews. 

Lora has been in the care of Mali’s Place in Camarillo. The family will be forever grateful for the loving care she received during her stay. Services will be held at Conejo Mountain Memorial Park on Wednesday, May 25 at 11:30. In lieu of flowers, the family prefers donations to be made in Lora’s honor to the charity of your choice.

...Family in the care of Erin Arteaga, Funeral Director