Helen

Hayes

Helen (Seman) Hayes, beloved mother, grandmother and great grandmother, died peacefully on Tuesday morning, January 15, 2019 at Rosary Care Center, Sylvania, Ohio, where she had lived since 2013. She was 98 years old.

Helen was born July 16, 1920 on Dacov, Slovakia, to the late Joseph and Veronica (Soltis) Seman. At the age of 16, along with her mother and brother Emil, she immigrated to the United States, joining her father in Rossford, Ohio. There she attended and graduated from Rossford High School in 1941, serving as President of the National Honor Society. She was naturalized as an American citizen in 1944 and was always proud of this country and the opportunities it offered its citizens. Prior to her marriage, she worked as a bookkeeper at LaSalle & Koch Department Sore in downtown Toledo, OH.

Helen married John P Hayes, a Toledo architect (Hahn & Hayes) on April 3, 1948; he preceded her in death in 1994. Helen loved her home and working in her yard on Kenwood Blvd, prior to her move to Rosary Care Center. In earlier years, she especially loved spending time at the family cottage in Howard's Farms on Lake Erie. For many years, she hosted all family meals, preparing almost everything herself.

Along with her husband and parents, Helen was preceded in death by her brother, Emil Seman during WWII and her special and devoted friend, Sr M Maurice Wodarski, OSF.

She is survived by her daughters, Ann (William) Waters, Susan Hayes, Joan Taylor, and Patricia Hayes; her grandchildren, Wendy (Ramon Razo) Kilbride, Ian (Jennifer) Kilbride, Patrick Taylor and Emil (Ambur) Hayes; her step grandchildren, Cynthia (Jeffery) Coleman and Allison (Daniel) Baptist; and eight great grandchildren Nicolas, Aiden and Chloe Kilbride; Rhylee Hayes; Jack, Will and Madeline Coleman; Frankie and Gus Baptist. She is also survived by cousins, both in the United States and the Slovak Republic.

Visitation will be held on Friday, January 18, 2019 from 9:30 – 11 AM at Gesu Church, 2049 Parkside Blvd, Toledo, OH followed by Mass of Christian Burial at 11 AM. Interment will follow at Toledo Memorial Park, Sylvania, OH.

The family would especially like to recognize and thank the outstanding nursing and all other staff of Rosary Care Center, all of whom provided compassionate and loving care to Helen, often exceeding expectations.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Rosary Care Center, 6832 Convent Blvd, Sylvania, OH 43560 or to the charity of the donor's choice.

Arrangements entrusted to the Foth-Dorfmeyer Mortuary and online condolences for the family may be left at www.fothdorfmeyer.com