Kady M. Hayes

Kady Maxine Hayes, 92, passed away peacefully on April 9, 2020. She was born February 2, 1928 in Branson Colorado, the 10th child and 4th daughter of John Rudolph and Minnie Pearl Bailey. She graduated from Hayward Union High School (Hayward, CA) in 1945, and then completed two years of College at San Jose State University. She excelled at field hockey in high school, garnering the Best Player and Service trophy.  She also was an avid swimmer and served as a lifeguard at the Hayward Plunge. While in college, she met her husband Robert Wharton Hayes. They married at the Hayes home in Castro Valley on November 24, 1946.  She participated in church and Christian education in all her family’s hometowns, which included Menlo Park and Pomona CA, and Guilderland, Clifton Park, Corinth, and Rotterdam NY. In CA she served as PTA President at Kellogg Elementary School. She worked part time for many years for the Credit Union at Pacific State Hospital. A self-trained accountant and mortgage manager, she balanced the books as it grew into a major institution. When she moved to NY in 1970, she started the Fish movement through the St. Mark’s Lutheran Church, a neighbor helping neighbor action movement. Through her Fish activities, she met Harold and Char Irish. This led to a long and affectionate relationship with the Irish family and ministry at the Princetown Reform Church (1972 – 1997). During that period, she traveled to Israel to visit the Holy Land. In her own words, “the trip was life changing,” allowing her to see the larger world more clearly and her Christian role in it. She was active in young Christian children’s ministry for many years, including at the Princetown Reform Church, and at the New Life Fellowship Church. She devoted the majority of her lifetime to her family.  Her children knew she loved them unconditionally and that she would help them in any way she could.  She was strong, but also very stubborn, and taught her children to stand up for what they believed in.  She exemplified perseverance, loyalty, and empathy, traits she also passed on to her offspring. Her children cherished her unconditional love and deeply appreciate all she taught them. She is survived by her brother Robert Bailey (Lois) and sister Joanne Bailey Parker (Charles), her sons John (Joan), Kim (Avery), Bart (Johanna), and Robert (Darci), daughters Judy (Steve Abbott), Jan (Martin Mulvey) and daughter in law Amy Hayes (Tracy), and 13 grandchildren, 4 step grandchildren, 7 great-grandchildren, and 3 step great-grandchildren, 2 step great-great grandchildren. She is preceded in death by her husband of 65 years, Robert W. Hayes, her first-born son Charles, her grandson Mark Abbott, her brothers John, Marvin, Darrel, Leonard, Kenneth, Chester, and Lloyd Bailey, and her sisters Faye Derby, Violet Eloma, Wilda Vert, and Virgee Bailey. She will be buried at Saratoga National Cemetery next to her husband following a virtual memorial service at the Fredendall Funeral Home. In lieu of flowers, please send donations to Marilyn’s Ministry, Princetown Evangelical Presbyterian Church, 3662 Gifford Church Rd, Duanesburg, NY 12056.