Vernon Otho Haire was born on June 12, 1921, to Haywood Haire and Laura Ann Haire in the small Arkansas community of Danville. He was the youngest of 7 children. Vernon lived and grew up on a farm. He and his siblings worked very hard throughout their life at home. Being the youngest of the Haire family did not exclude him from work. Vernon’s first jobs as a little boy were carrying in wood and water to the kitchen and collecting eggs for his mother. Eventually he milked cows, and plowed the fields with a team of mules. Life was wonderful but busy in rural Danville.
During this time the Haire children went to school and played with other children in the community. As time passed Vernon developed a special interest in one of the girls in his home town. Georgia Ramona Head, caught his attention while attending one of the many “play parties” families went to during that era. She didn’t like to be called Georgia after her grandpa George and instead went by her middle name, Ramona. Eventually Vernon and Ramona had their first date at the local fair and they hit it off right away. Life was good and romance blossomed. In September of 1942, Vernon went off to war. He and Ramona wrote to each other often while Vernon served in the Philippine Islands, Australia, and New Guinea. After serving for thirty-eight months in the 32nd Red Arrow Division, Vernon was discharged from the army to Fort Smith Arkansas in November of 1945. During his time in the service Vernon’s Mom became ill, so she and his dad sold the farm and moved to California. Many of his brothers and sisters had moved to California as well, as had Ramona, who had gone to work in a defense plant in Los Angeles, making self-sealing gas tanks for aircraft. So, Vernon also headed west to see his family, and the girl he loved.
Arriving in Los Angeles early one morning Vernon and Ramona grabbed a quick breakfast, packed a few things and set out for Madera, where the Haire family had settled. After the initial celebration of Vernon’s return, the young couple announced their intention to get married. With the family’s blessing the couple returned to Los Angeles where they were married in a civil ceremony at the L.A. county court house. Eventually, they too settled in Madera. In August 1953, after seven years of marriage, Vernon and Ramona were blessed with the birth of their daughter, Sheila. They lived their life together happily, until March 20, 1986, when Ramona passed away suddenly. They had been married forty years and nine months when Ramona died. Vernon continued to work for a few years, then eventually he retired.
It was during a trip back to Arkansas at homecoming time that Vernon ran into Edna Johnson, whom he and Ramona had both known as children. She had recently lost her husband and she and Vernon both enjoyed renewing their friendship. As time went by they found they had a great deal in common, and enjoyed each other’s company very much. Soon they were writing and calling each other frequently, and Vernon began visiting Edna at her home in Texas. Not long after that, Edna and Vernon decided to extend their happiness by getting married. They lived together happily and contentedly and to the delight of both their families for fourteen years, until his passing on March 3, 2006.
Vernon was a loving husband and father. Always quick with a joke or story, he was a happy man who considered himself blessed. His family feels that Vernon would not want us to be saddened by his death but rejoice in his life and look forward to being reunited with him someday.

Vernon Otho Haire
Home: Cedar Hills, TX
Date of Death: March 3, 2006 Age: 85
Birthplace: AR
Birthdate: June 12, 1920
Service Date: Wednesday, Mar 8, 2006 at 1:00 pm
Visitation Date: Tuesday, Mar 7, 2006 from 5:00 P.M. to 8:00 P.M. and Wednesday, Mar 8, 2006 from 8:00 A.M. to 12 Noon
Service Place: Arbor Vitae Cemetery, Madera, CA
Interment: Arbor Vitae Cemetery, Madera, CA

Madera Tribune, Mar 2006; Obituary:
Vernon Haire
Tuesday, March 07, 2006
Mr. Vernon Haire, Age 84, a native of Arkansas, a former resident of Madera, CA for 50 years and a resident of Cedar Hill, TX for the past 14 years passed away on Friday, March 3, 2006 at a Dallas, TX, hospital. He was a cotton farmer and truck driver for Tesei Petroleum. He was a veteran of WWII U.S. Army and a V.F.W. member. Vernon was also a member of the Church of Christ.
Vernon is survived by his wife Edna Johnson Haire of Cedar Hill, TX; one daughter: Sheila Harbison and her husband Ron of Madera, CA; three step-daughters: Edena Hintze of Ovilla, TX, Juanita Lackey of Texas and Betty Fills of Cedar Hill, TX; one brother: Rev. Theodore Haire of Visalia, CA; two sisters: Sybil Lampkins of Camarillo, CA and Ola Rorax of Visalia, CA. He was the grandfather of two and great-grandfather of numerous great-grandchildren.
Visitation will be on Tuesday, March 7, 2006 from 5:00 P.M. to 8:00 P.M. and Wednesday, March 8, 2006 from 8:00 A.M. to 12 Noon, both at Jay Chapel in Madera, CA. Graveside Services will be on Wednesday, March 8, 2006 at 1:00 P.M. at Arbor Vitae Cemetery in Madera, CA.
Remembrances may be made to the American Cancer Society, 2222 West Shaw Ave #201, Fresno, CA 93711 or the American Heart Association, 1495 W. Shaw Avenue, Fresno, CA 93711-3608.