Photo by: Henoc Kivuye
Every day during the lunch rush after chapel, Lois Hill can be found sitting at the entrance to the Caf with a smile on her face. Each time she swipes another student’s card Lois makes Oklahoma Christian University feel a little more like home.
“I had semi-retired from working at a doctor’s office for 25 years and was asked to come work an hour,” Lois said. “Well eight hours later I was still sitting there and now 13 years later I’m still sitting here.”
Lois grew up in Oklahoma but has moved all over the United States, including California and Georgia. During Lois’ time in California she embraced the nature that surrounds the state, going to town only once a month and keeping food cold by submerging it in the ice cold water of the river behind her log cabin.
For 13 years Lois has swiped students’ cards and welcomed them into the Caf, but Lois also does a lot of things on her own time. From taking care of her spoiled little puppy to fearlessly jumping out of a plane at a family member’s bachelor party, there’s not much Lois hasn’t done.
“One of the most exciting things was skydiving at the age of 80,” Lois said. “The first time was at my grandson’s bachelor party; we had a lot of fun. I loved skydiving, which is why I’m going again.”
Lois attributes her success and energy to the smiles that the students of Oklahoma Christian bring her on a daily basis.
“The kids are what make my day here at Oklahoma Christian,” Lois said, “Their smiles are what make me smile.”
Most students are familiar with the atmosphere that Lois brings to the campus, from the smiles as they walk into the Caf to the cheerful, “Goodbye darling,” as they leave. Junior Crystal Goolsby mentions the impact that Lois has made on her life.
“A lot of students probably don’t appreciate her and her job,” Goolsby said. “She is sure to say, ‘Have a good one,’ to you when you leave the Caf. Something as simple as that can turn your whole day around. Having Lois tell me to have a good day or greet me with a smile every time I go into the Caf impacts me. I’m not a morning person, so even if I am just going before a morning class to get a Dr. Pepper, her warm greeting makes mornings better.”
Though Lois has had a lot of fun in her life, she also knows that some of the negative things have helped her focus on the positives and her relationship with God.
“I’ve had some tragedies in my life,” Lois said. “Both my parents are gone, my sister is gone, I lost my daughter to cancer, but other than that I have lived a nice life. God works in mysterious ways and has a reason for everything he did. I always try to focus on the positive things, not the bad things in life.
Regardless of what is going on in life, Lois can still be found every single day, welcoming students into the Caf with a smile.
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