Judith Hails

Judith "Judy" (Oathout) Hails, 69, of Decatur, IL, died on Saturday morning, February 23, 2013, at Heartland Health Care Center. Funeral services will be 2:00 P.M. Thursday, February 28, at Brintlinger and Earl Funeral Home, Decatur. Burial will be in Mt. Carmel Cemetery, Ramsey, IL. Memorials may be made to Westminster Presbyterian Church. Judy was born December 8, 1943, in Hillsboro, IL, the daughter of Roy V. Oathout and Hilda E. (McCaslin) Oathout. Judy graduated from the original "Decatur High" Stephen Decatur High School in their first 4 year graduating class in 1961. After graduating from Brown's Business College she worked as a secretary/bookkeeper for Miller O'Neill carpet stores and continued in that position after marrying Jerry Hails in 1964, and until he returned from war in Vietnam. Judy also worked for Decatur Day Care Center, at Dennis School as a lunchroom mom and teacher's aid before returning to school. She attended Richland Community College and worked as a secretary in their Adult Re-entry office. At the age of 39, just a few credits shy of earning her associates degree she was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis and battled this disease since then and was recently diagnosed with colon cancer. Judy had been a member of Kaskaskia Valley Bass Widows Club and a member of the Westminster Presbyterian Church. She had been a resident of Heartland Nursing Home and Rehab Center since 1996. That became her home and the staff and residents her extended family. Preceding her in death are her parents and grandparents. She leaves behind her daughters, Dana (Hails) Dry of Rockwell, NC; Cara Hails of Decatur; grandson Trey Dry of Rockwell, NC; sister, Mrs. Larry (Jane) Curry of Decatur; nephews, Brian Curry of California and Derek Curry of Decatur; many cousins and best friend Joanie Fisher of Decatur. We would like to thank her extended family at Heartland for all their love and care throughout the years. Also a special thanks to the staff at DMH on the 4th floor - ICU West and 4100. "
}