A farm brat, Illa Ann Weiss was born September 29, 1926. Her mother died when she was about seven, and her father a year later. After high school, she married at 17 years old, in 1943, to a very wonderful man, Floyd Weiss. Then she went back to school and became a licensed hairdresser and cosmetologist in the spring of 1947. She worked for a while as a hairdresser. Their daughter, Melodie, was born August 24, 1947. Illa and her husband had a franchise in Grand Forks, North Dakota with Hostess Cakes. They moved to Minneapolis, Minnesota, then moved to Tucson in 1951. She started working at Hughes Aircraft in December 1951. Their son, Michael, was born August 25, 1954. Illa and Floyd spent 13 years doing volunteer work with Civil Air Patrol in different capacities, some with search and rescue, some with cadets. She and Floyd became licensed pilots and had their own planes. After they sold their airplane, they switched to motorhoming. She enjoyed her two children, and their families, including five grandchildren, thirteen great grandchildren and one great-great grandchild. They enjoyed their employment at a wonderful place like Hughes. “I really have had a Wonderful Life.”
