05/25/2026
In Memory
Of
Mrs. Lyria Virginia Brown Hailstork
Ms. Lyria Virginia Brown Hailstork was born February 3, 1931, to the late Catherine Tyler Brown and Roosevelt Brown in Charlottesville, Virginia. An incredible scholar and naturally inquisitive, she shattered the barriers of her time, entering Virginia State University in Petersburg at the age of 16 and graduating with honors in 1950. She quickly followed her passion and became a teacher at Esmont High School, later moving to Jackson P. Burley High School, known for its rigorous academic curriculum and its dedicated, all-Black faculty during the era of Jim Crow. Her goal of pursuing additional education forced her to go out of state, and she completed a Master's Degree in Curriculum and Instruction at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York. There meeting her future husband, the late Adolphus C. Hailstork, Jr., a businessman and cook at Cornell. They married in 1956 in Charlotteville.
Lyria eventually moved to Ithaca to continue what would become a nearly 5-decade career in teaching, training, and student advocacy. Lyria’s professional journey was defined by a restless desire to serve. Before leaving Virginia, she had established herself as a consultant for poverty programs in Charlottesville; consequently, upon her arrival in Ithaca, she initially served as a caseworker for the Tompkins County Department of Social Services. She quickly transitioned back to her first love, teaching, and helped develop the district's “Reading Alert Program”. Her expertise was so highly regarded that she served as a pivotal member of the school’s evaluation team, traveling to other districts to design early-intervention reading models. She worked in all aspects of education, primarily as a teacher and later principal in the Ithaca City School District for 30 years, even serving as Summer School Superintendent in the District and then in the Rush-Henrietta School District in suburban Rochester, NY. Throughout this time, she was a beacon to others, mentoring aspiring teachers and administrators with a generosity of spirit that transcended titles. Known for a rare, discerning eye, she looked past a person's history to see their potential; custodians and colleagues alike spoke of her with profound respect, for she treated every soul she encountered with the same dignity and high expectations.
Her contributions to the field of education were as vast as they were impactful. Though she held too many honors to list, she was a proud Life Member of the National Education Association and NYSUT, and she was championed by the NAACP, the American Vocational Association, and the Human Rights Commission of 4-H. Her tireless devotion was formally recognized by the New York State Senate, in a Legislative Resolution upon her retirement, “for her significant contributions to the field of education in New York State,” a fitting tribute to a lifetime spent shaping the minds of the next generation.
Upon her well-earned retirement, she returned to her beloved Charlottesville, yet her heart remained fixed in the classroom. She continued her mission for another ten years, serving as an adjunct English instructor at Piedmont Virginia Community College and later as a GED instructor in the county.
She was a woman of deep, abiding faith, remaining a devoted member of First Baptist Church in Ithaca and returning to her spiritual roots at Ebenezer Baptist Church in Charlottesville—the church home of her youth and family. Her presence was as commanding as her intellect; she was the textbook definition of a Matriarch. As the eldest and longest living of her four siblings, she became the family’s ultimate repository of history, the keeper of stories, and the wise counsel whose words were as authoritative as compassionate.
She is preceded in death by her sisters, Barbara A. Brown, Mary Luck Page, and her brothers, Frank Henry Brown and Roosevelt Brown. Left to treasure her memory are her daughter, Lyria Belle Hailstork, of Charlottesville, who was her loving caregiver during her final days, a loving act of devotion; her son, Roger C. Hailstork, of San Diego; and her grandchildren, Tyler C. Hailstork and Peyton C. Hailstork. Additionally, grieving her will be her multiple nieces and nephews, Dennis M. Brown and wife Jennifer (Drew) Brown, Denise Brown, Barbara Brown, Frank H. Brown Jr., and wife Patrica, Jessica Brown, niece Nina Hamilton, and the many great nieces and nephews. The Hailstork and Brown families wish to express their profound gratitude for the exceptional, tender care provided by so many during her final days. The family would also like to acknowledge the loving care provided by Laquinta Thurston, home health aide and friend; Dr. William J. Maloney; and nurses Rachel Riedel and Brittney Robertson. Faithful friend Ann Morris, Dee Campbell, Kim Swift, Della Morris Grey, Shirley Porter, Rosa Williams, and Sissy Leatherwood.
As a member of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority Incorporated, joining Phi Chapter at VSU in 1946 and recognized as a Crystal Dove honoring her 50-plus years of service, we would like to acknowledge her current Chapter, Omega Phi Zeta, and the many Sorors whose lives she touched and who touched her, including her “adopted daughter,” Tiffany Scott, former president of the Omega Phi Zeta Chapter, Charlottesville, VA., Gesica Jarrett and Michelle Busby. It is a testament to her influence and no coincidence that both her daughter and granddaughter followed in her footsteps, joining Zeta to carry on her legacy of sisterhood and service.
Finally, she was a lifelong, passionate devotee of the NFL—a die-hard New York Giants fan who attended multiple games and two Super Bowls, finding joy in the complex strategy and excitement of competition.
Lyria Virginia Brown Hailstork walked with grace, taught with fire, and lived with purpose; her legacy is written in the hearts of the thousands of lives she touched. May God Rest Her Soul.
Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. on Saturday, May 30, 2026, at Ebenezer Baptist Church, 113 Sixth St. N.W. She will lie in repose at the church one hour prior to the services. Interment will follow in Lincoln Cemetery.
A viewing will be held from 12:00 p.m. until 6:00 p.m. on Friday, May 29, 2026, at J.F. Bell Funeral Home Chapel, 108 Sixth St. N.W.
Arrangements by J. F. Bell Funeral Home Inc. Condolences may be extended to the family via the Tribute Wall at www.jfbellfuneralservices.com