Georgana “Georgie” Lorane (Hixson) Ballou, of Salina, Kan., found serene peace on January 25, 2026, holding the hand of her dearest love and surrounded by family.

Born April 8, 1941, in Inola, Oklahoma, she entered the world small and frail yet quickly revealed a spark and determination that would define her life. With the strength and love of her parents, Wilma Jean (Stark) and George Calvin Hixson, she defied the odds from the very beginning.

In 1944, Georgie moved with her family to Kansas. While her father served his country, she helped friends and family endure the hardships of wartime. One cherished memory from that time was selling paper flowers alongside her brother. Her lifelong love of animals and gardening also began to take root during these early years. After her father returned home, she helped her family farm, learning about and loving the land . Georgie attended grade school in Falun, Bavaria, and Hedville, then went on to attend high school in Brookville, graduating from Salina Central. Throughout her youth, she worked various jobs, including at The Crown, The Royal, and the Salina Laundries.

Georgie met Hayden Ballou while searching for a baseball under a clothesline, a simple moment that began a lifelong partnership. They were married on January 10, 1959, and together built a family grounded in love, and hard work.

A woman of many talents and boundless generosity, Georgie spent 21 years managing the poultry barn for the Tri Rivers Fair and Rodeo. She shared her sewing skills as a 4-H clothing leader and found joy in Girl Scouts, an organization that shaped her youth and later allowed her to guide others as a troop leader. Her nurturing spirit touched countless children during the years she provided childcare at All Star Lanes.

Many will remember Georgie for her time teaching Home Economics at Elmhurst Christian School. She was also a devoted PTA member for each of her children. Never one to slow down, she remained active in EHU and the Hedville Ladies Club.

Georgie’s midlife career included time at Coastal Mart, followed by 22 years at Target, where she formed lasting friendships while stocking shelves and serving customers. In retirement, she found joy working in the garden department at Lowe’s. She never wanted to stop working and giving to others.

Those who knew Georgie best relied on her steady, loving advice, knowing she was always a safe place. She lived fully and attentively, often saying she slept with one eye open so she wouldn’t miss a moment of life.

Georgie now joins her parents, her brother, Allen, several brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law, and her sweet great-grandson, Hayden George Ballou, in Heaven’s glory. Left to cherish her memory are her beloved husband; sisters Susan and Sharon; bonus daughter Pat Webb (Eddie); children Anna Campbell (John), David Ballou (wife), Jeannie Jorgensen (Mike), Cassie Streit (Shawn); eleven grandchildren; twenty-two great-grandchildren; and many brothers- and sisters-in-law whom she loved dearly.

A come-and-go celebration of Georgie’s life will be held from 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Saturday, February 7, 2026, at Ryan Mortuary, 137 N. 8th St., Salina, Kansas.

Those wishing to honor Georgie may contribute to the family for a future memorial or donate a flower arrangement to a retirement home in her name.