Cloudy, 40° F
(Sept. 25, 2004)
Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated Monday, Sept. 27 at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Bridger, Mont., for a Clark's Fork Valley resident, Ada Mayor Hays, 93, who died Saturday, Sept. 25 at the Heartland assisted living facility in Powell.
She was born Jan. 21, 1911, at Richwoods, Mo., to Henry and Marie Carrrel Mayor. In 1922, she moved with her family to a Wyoming homestead at Kaycee.
She attended schools in Missouri and Kaycee and graduated from Johnson County High School at Buffalo in 1928. She later attended the University of Wyoming before teaching in rural schools for several years.
On June 27, 1933, she married A.R. (Slim) Hays in Hardin, Mont. They ranched in the Kaycee and Arvada areas for several years. In 1941, they bought a ranch near Jordan, Mont., and lived there for 20 years. The ranch was still owned by Ada and now operated by a daughter and grandsons.
In 1959, they bought a ranch in the Clark's Fork River Valley near Belfry, Mont., and operated a feedlot there.
She enjoyed her family and friends and all aspects of ranch life, working crossword puzzles, traveling, and the great outdoors, particularly the mountains.
She was a member of Sacred Heart Catholic Church of Bridger and the former Clark's Fork Valley Women's Club.
Survivors include two daughters, Virginia (Coleman) Murnion of Jordan, Mont., and Linda (James) Peters of Belfry; 23 grandchildren , 45 great-grandchildren and 14 great-great grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her husband Slim in 1997, three grandsons, four brothers and two sisters.
Burial was in the Belfry Cemetery under the direction of Miratsky-Easton Funeral Home.
