(Valentine) Hall, Willie J.O.

Willie J.O. (Valentine) Hall

Born: Jan. 25, 1930, Unionville, Mo.

Died: June 25, 2010, McHenry, Ill.

“Jo” Hall died Thursday evening in McHenry, Ill., after a lengthy illness. She lived in Lisbon, Iowa, most of her life and was married to Kenneth “Bud” Hall for 50 years. She worked for several years in the women's physical education department at Cornell College in Mount Vernon, Iowa. She cared for Mame Hall, Kenny's mother, in her home for several years.

Willie J.O. was born in Unionville, Mo., in 1930, the second daughter of four children. When she was 5, her mother died in childbirth with the fifth child, and she went to Iowa City, Iowa, to live with an aunt and uncle until high school. During high school she returned home to help her father with his farm in Unionville. She graduated from Unionville High School. After graduation she moved back to Iowa City, where she began calling herself Jo. She met Kenny Hall a few years later and they married. They had two children, Michael Hall and Elizabeth (Hall) Dye.

Jo was a devoted wife, mother, and grandmother, who took great joy in her family. She enjoyed sewing, making cakes, entertaining, growing large gardens filled with flowers, and fishing.

She and her husband, Kenny, entered several fishing contests and she won trophies in some of them. She was a very social person who loved to entertain family and guests. No one was turned away at mealtime, regardless of how many guests were present.

She is survived by her two children, Michael Hall (married to Cindy Gaines) and Elizabeth (Hall) Dye (married to Dalyn Dye); five grandchildren, Vanessa (Hall) Krykewycz, Tara Hall, Mick Hall, Nathan Dye and Ethan Dye; and two great-grandchildren, Colton and Camrynn Krykewycz.

She was preceded in death in 2007 by her husband, Ken Hall.

Visitation will be Monday, June 28, from noon to 1 p.m. at Morgan Funeral Home in Mount Vernon. The funeral will follow at 1 p.m., with a short graveside service afterward in the Mount Vernon Cemetery.