Donna R. Hayes

Donna Rae Hayes, Age 77. a lifelong Pacific County resident, passed away on June 18th, 2011 in Bothell, WA, where she was briefly cared for by the very kind and loving staff at the Heart To Heart Adult family home. She died of complications from a massive stroke suffered in November 2010.

Donna was born in Raymond, WA to Clarence and Flora Lovering on June 25th, 1933, the fifth of seven children. She graduated from Raymond High School in 1951 and married the love of her life, Raymond Hayes, in 1954. They had ten together before his life was tragically cut short in an on-the-job accident. Donna bravely and lovingly raised their two sons by herself, and worked in the office of Coast Oyster in South Bend up until her retirement several years ago.

She will be remembered for her kind and gentle sense of humor and her ability to find joy in simple, everyday things.

Born at at time when being left-handed was still considered an abnormality, she was defiantly and stubbornly proud of being a southpaw.

She stayed up-to-date on technology, keeping in touch with family and friends via email and instant messaging, and loved to keep in shape with daily walks and occasional rides on her old black three-speed bicycle. She loved all kinds of music, from Country to Classical.

As a girl, she studied classical dance at the Marie Hannah School of Dance, and retained a love of ballet and all other forms of dance.

She is survived by her sons, Dennis and Michael, both of Kenmore, WA; two sisters, Kathleen Wegner of Kirkland and Sue Gilbertson of Lacey, WA; and a brother, Howard Lovering, of Seattle, WA. She will also be greatly missed by her friends and neighbors, John and Beverly Kessler.

A special thanks is due to the staff at Willapa Harbor Hospital in South Bend, WA, who took care of Donna immediately following her stroke.