Lois Elaine Connors (nee Finley) was born on February 10, 1928, in Page, Nebraska to Orville Theodore Finley and Alma Irene Finley (nee Michaelson). She was the second (or middle) child joining older sister, Pauline, and 20 months later, younger brother, Dean. She was very close to her mother and father. She learned to cook from her mother. She shared the love of baseball with her father. They would spend countless hours listening to baseball games on the radio. So she developed a lifelong addiction to baseball.
Page is a small village in northeastern Nebraska. In 1930, the population was 359. Lois’ mom and dad contributed to the population explosion in Page as the population of Page in 1920 was only 271. In the early 1940’s, Orville had decided he had enough of Nebraska. He was a truck driver. He cut and delivered ice in the winter. And did whatever was needed in the other months. He repaired vehicles in between. So Orville (or OT, as he was known, and Granddad later) and Alma (who became Nana when the grandkids started to arrive) packed up the kids and moved to Beverly, Beverly Hills, that is. Just kidding. No. Highland Park in Los Angeles.
Once in Los Angeles, Lois attended Florence Nightingale Junior High School. Lois then attended Benjamin Franklin High School in the Highland Park area of Los Angeles, graduating in 1945. Some notable alumni of this high school are Lee Baca, former sheriff of Los Angeles County (Class of 1960), Daryl F Gates, former chief of the LAPD (Class of 1944), Bobby Riggs, the tennis player, Gene Roddenberry, creator of StarTrek (Class of 1939) and Jackson Browne, the singer of rock and roll.
Lois went to work at the Fuller Brush Company as a clerk processing payroll for the company. There she met a boy fresh out of the Coast Guard working in the mail room: James P Connors. After a whirlwind courtship, Lois and James (Jim) were married on April 10, 1948. Then they started to make babies, James Jr in March 1949, John in July 1953 and Timothy in December 1957. Jim joined the Los Angeles County Sheriff in 1949. In 1953 they moved to their first home in Covina; a brand new house. Lois stayed home and supervised those kids. She was a strict but loving mother. She was known to her children as the “Bear” (Jim Jr’s description); protective but no nonsense. So we learned to not provoke the Bear.
In 1961, Lois and Jim, along with Jim’s mother Gracie, built a cabin (Gracie called it a “chalet”) in Crestline. The cabin became the go to vacation home. We would sometimes spend up to three months there for the summer. Jim would stay home and work and come up on the weekends. Mom would feed us breakfast and send us off to explore; “Come back when you’re hungry or when it gets dark”. Other days she would take us to Lake Gregory and the San Moritz Club.
In 1962, the family moved to West Covina after brief rental stint in Azusa in a home owned by the State of California. The now eastbound number 2 lane of the 210 Freeway is where that house sat.
In 1968, she had enough of motherhood and found a job with Tucker Tire Company working for Rosemary Tucker as her secretary and accounts payable clerk. She was good at her job and loved In 1986, Lois retired. Lois and Jim sold their home in West Covina and moved to their custom built home in Apple Valley sitting on 5 acres with breathtaking views.
Lois spent many hours with her mom, Alma Finley, while Alma was living in Corona. She would drive down and see her very week and on occasion she would bring Alma back to Apple Valley for a visit.
Lois and Jim traveled; having a go at England and Spain in 1973. Trips to Pismo Beach. They bought a time share at Paniolo Greens on the Big Island of Hawaii. They would spend two weeks there every February. A train trip with Gracie and her then husband to a family reunion in West Virginia. Lois and Jim continued on to New York City to explore.
Lois and Jim were very active in the AARP 55 Alive Program. They started out as instructors and ended up District managers. Lois was very active at the Catholic Church in Apple Valley; Our Lady of the Desert.
Lois loved to read, play Suduko solve word puzzles. She loved to play Solitaire on her I pad. Lois loved to watch baseball especially the Dodgers. But was an avid fan of the Angels. Lois loved football; more college than pro. High school football games were a favorite too.. She would always get upset when football ended but baseball had not yet started. She was not a fan of basketball or hockey.
After Jim passed away in 2006, Lois moved to Village on the Green in Rancho Cucamonga in 2008. Living out on dirt road miles from anything was not conducive to her mental or physical well being. Village on the Green was an active 55 plus community. She made many friends there. They played bingo, she ran the 50-50 raffle; enjoyed many a group dinner and pot lucks. When management changed, they eliminated the activities. Many of her friends moved out. She would sit out on her patio and enjoy the view of the 5th hole fairway and green of Empire Lakes Golf Course. She sometimes would see her grandson Kevin there playing on the course. He would call and let her know where he was and wave to her.
In 2018, Lois moved to Atria Rancho Park, an assisted living facility she needed to have someone else cook for her and clean her place. She was 90 years of age.
In 2020, Lois moved to Bridgecreek in West Covina to be close to her son.
On January 15, 2021, the Lord called Lois home.
Lois was the widow of James Patrick Connors.
Lois is survived by her sons, James Jr (Sheila), John (Barbara) and Tim (Margie).
Lois is survived by her grandchildren Sean (Melissa), Christina (Kevin), Ryan (Sarah), Crystal (Brian), Kelly (Derek), Kevin (Jessica), Christopher, Dennis (Krista), Caitlin, Seamus.
Lois is survived by her great grandchildren Jackson, Mason, Ryder, Ella, Kinley, Connor, . Maverick, Gavin, Tyler, James, Wyatt, Kenadie and Soren
Lois is survived by her brother Dean Finley and his wife Nancy.
Lois is also survived by her nieces and nephews, Francine (Don), Paul (Jessica), Debbie (Rich), Rick (Donna) and Laura (John).
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