Virginia Lee Hayes Mills
Virginia Lee Hayes Mills, passed
peacefully at the impressive age of 96 on June 27, 2015.
She has resided at The Cliffs at Eagle
Rock Assisted Living Facility in West Orange, NJ for the past four
years.
Virginia was born on Feb. 23, 1919 in
Osage City, Kan., to Clifford and Lillian Ashbaugh, raised in Newton,
Kan., and graduated from Emporia State Teachers College.
She later received her Master's +30
from Pittsburg Kansas State College.
She met her husband, Virgil Hayes,
while playing tennis at college and they were married in 1941.
Virginia and Virgil moved to Carthage, Mo. after Virgil returned from
World War II. Virginia taught Girl's Physical Education at Carthage
High School for 20 years and is fondly remembered for her enthusiasm
and originality as the sponsor for the Carthage Cheerleaders and the
creator of the precision drill team, "The Carthajets."
Virginia and Virgil moved back to Newton, Kan., in 1968 and Virginia
taught in the Newton school system for another 21 years. Virginia
enjoyed traveling abroad and was always searching for innovative ways
to inspire and educate her students. She enhanced her classroom at
Santa Fe Middle School with the addition of a full greenhouse
maintained by her students.
She also incorporated a "pen pal
letter exchange" with Peruvian students in South America.
Virginia also had many close friends and loved not only playing
bridge but also teaching bridge to her friends.
She was a member of the First
Presbyterian Church of Newton, Kan. Virgil died in 1984.
Virginia later married Allan Mills, a
childhood acquaintance from Newton, Kan. Virginia often told the
story of how she and Allan lived across the street from one another
when they were just 5 years old. Both were forbidden by their parents
to cross East 1st Street; so, as the story goes, Virginia and Allan,
as 5 year olds, sat on the curb, threw a ball across the street to
one another just for fun, and married each other 70 years later in
1989. Virginia and Allan enjoyed many years of active retirement and
travel and were married for 22 years.
Gee Gee, as she was fondly named by her
family, will always be remembered by her children and grandchildren
for her "Candle Parties" held in the evening on her back
porch. In the summer months, family members would gather after dinner
on the back porch of her home in Newton. Each would find a chairs or
the comfy couch, sit back, relax, and listen for the evening sounds
made by the crickets, katydids, or a far off train, all heard thru
the sweet light of your many lit candles.
Thank you, Gee Gee, for these memories.
"Candle Parties" will always continue on our porches across
America.
Virginia is survived by two daughters;
Jan Smith-Meyer of Lanoka Harbor N.J., and Kristi Danegger of West
Hartford, Conn., and a sister and brother-in-law Kathy and Arnold Nye
of Newton, Kan. Virginia has six grandchildren; Shea Augustine of
Scottsdale Ariz., Mandy Houpt of Bayfield, Colo., and Justin Smith of
San Francisco, Calif., Brittani McMillian of Morgantown W.Va., and
Ben Danegger of West Hartford, Conn., and Brett Danegger of Hartford
Conn.
Virginia has five great grand children;
Lexi, Justin and Reece Augustine of Scottsdale, Ariz., and Taj and
Lily Rose Houpt of Bayfield, Colo.
She is also survived by two nephews,
Greg Nye of Newton, Kan., Chris Nye of Caldwell, Idaho, and a niece
Pam Behymer of Newton, Kan. A memorial service will be held at
Broadway Colonial Funeral Home in Newton, Kan., with the date not yet
determined.
In lieu of flowers, memorial
contributions can be made to the Alzheimer's Foundation in care of
Broadway Colonial Funeral Home, 120 E. Broadway Newton KS 67114.
Friends may sign the book and read the
obituary online www.broadwaycolonialFH@yahoo.com
