William F. "Bill" Hays

Mass of Christian Burial for William F. Hays will be held at the St. Germanus Catholic Church in Arapahoe, Nebraska on Thursday, June 28, 2012 at 1:00 p.m. with Father Robert Barnhill officiating. Rosary will be held at the church at 11:00 a.m. prior to the service. Interment will be at the Edison Cemetery at Edison, Nebraska with military honors provided by the Edison American Legion Post #343 in conjunction with the U.S. Army National Guard Military Honors Team.

William F. "Bill" Hays, 82 years of age, of Oxford, Nebraska, passed away on Monday, June 25, 2012 at the Phelps Memorial Health Center in Holdrege, Nebraska. Bill was born June 8, 1930 at Oxford, the ninth of ten children born to Joseph and Anna (Haffey) Hays. He received his primary education at the Hardscrabble District School and graduated from Edison High School with the class of 1947. Following his education, Bill served his country in the U.S. Army from February 18, 1953 until his honorable discharge on February 17, 1955.

Bill was united in marriage to JoAnn D. VonHollen on December 24, 1952 in Norton, Kansas, and to this union five children were born; William M., Terry, Katherine, Stanley, and Jerry. They made their home on the family homestead northeast of Edison, where Bill engaged in farming and also worked at the Edison CO-OP. 76 years of his 82 years was spent on this family farm. In July of 2008, Bill and JoAnn moved into Oxford.

Bill loved to play softball, especially enjoyed pitching, and also enjoyed playing pool and cards. He loved to watch all his children and grandchildren in sporting events and activities and liked to reminisce with his family and friends about stories of his childhood. Bill was a member of the American Legion Post #343 of Edison and was recognized as a 50 plus year member. He was also a member of the St. Michael's Catholic Church in Oxford and later in years transferred membership to the St. Germanus Catholic Church in Arapahoe.

Besides his parents, Bill was preceded in death by one brother, James Hays and four sisters: Katherine Bartruff and her husband, Dale, Lois Dawson and her husband, Lowell "Whitey", Bernice Dawson and her husband, Farrell "Spike", and Elsie in infancy; and three brothers-in-laws: Vaughn Dawson, Hiriam Walker, and Duane Moor.

He leaves to mourn his passing his wife of 59 years, JoAnn of Oxford; five children: William "Billy" Hays of Edison, Nebraska, Terry Hays and his wife, Sally of Alma, Nebraska, Katherine McQuiston and her husband, David of Oxford, Stanley Hays and his wife, Kathy of Hazelton, Kansas, and Jerry Hays of Oxford; nine grandchildren: Crystal Daniels and her husband, Curtis, Clinton McQuiston and his wife, Kimberly, Andrew McQuiston, Nicole Hays, Jesse and Brooke Hays, Tanner, Hannah and Haley Hays; two great- grandchildren: Joseph Ferris and Haisley McQuiston; one brother, Joseph Hays and his wife, Jean of Holdrege; three sisters: Lucille "Suz" Walker of Fort Collins, Colorado, Mildred "Mick" Dawson of Arapahoe, and Teresa "Tess" Moor of Exeter, Nebraska; two sisters-in-law: Ruby Hays Martin and her husband, Mark of Kearney, Nebraska and Eleanor Nail of Ponchatoula, Louisiana; two brothers-in-law: Fred VonHollen and his wife, Charlotte of Chattanooga, Tennessee and Herb VonHollen and his wife, Verna of Dubuque, Iowa; and a host of nieces, nephews, and other relatives and friends.

Visitation will be held on Wednesday, June 27, 2012 from 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. with the family greeting friends from 6:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at the Mitchell-Nelson-Bauer Funeral Home in Oxford.

A memorial has been established in his memory and will be designated at a later date.

Expressions of caring and kindness can be sent to the family at www.nelsonbauerfh.com

The Mitchell-Nelson-Bauer Funeral Home in Oxford is in charge of the arrangements.