Ila Mae (Stifel) Hay (2015)

EDDIE, HAY, ROACH, ROBERTSON, SHOWERS, STEARNS, STIFEL, WILCOX, WILES

Posted By: Shirley Keating
Date: 2/2/2015 at 20:54:37

Hamiltons Funeral Home
Des Moines, Iowa
January 2015

Ila Hay

Ila M. Hay, 84, of Des Moines passed away at Bishop Drumm Care Center in Johnston, Iowa on January 12th, 2015.

The second eldest of four children born to Russell E. and Gladys E. (Roach) Stifel in Madison County, Iowa on February 16, 1930. Ila or “Ila Mae” grew up on the Southside of Des Moines where she graduated from Lincoln High School. After her marriage to James D. (Jim) Hay in 1954, she moved to the Highland Park/Oak Park area of Des Moines where the couple spent the rest of their lives.

Ila began her career at the Northwestern Bell Telephone Company in Des Moines several years prior to her marriage to Jim in 1954. After taking time off to raise her two children, she returned to work for F. W. Woolworth for a short time and then for the Des Moines Public Schools from where she retired in 1995 with over 20 years of distinguished service.

Upon retirement she and her husband Jim, enjoyed many activities and hobbies, including traveling around the Midwest. Ila was and avid collector, loved to do “beadwork,” designing and making many different types of jewelry. Ila also took great pride and joy in her granddaughters; spending a significant amount of time with them as they were growing.

Ila, who was known for her generous and giving nature, volunteered time to a variety of organizations including the March of Dimes, Bluebird and Campfire Girls, as well as the Cub Scouts of America. She was also a neighborhood activist, long before anyone knew what a neighborhood activist was.

Ila is survived by her children, Debra L. “Deb” Stearns of Des Moines and her son James D. “Jim” Hay II (Timothy H. Hawkins) of Chicago, Il and Michiana Shores, IN; granddaughters, Nancy Robertson of DeWitt and Christine Eddie of Norwalk; two great-granddaughters; and two great-grandsons. Ila is also survived by two sisters, Nancy B. (Stifel) Showers (Stephen) of Waterloo, and Sharon L. (Stifel) Wilcox (Gerald) of Des Moines. Ila was preceded into eternal life by her parents; her older brother Donald E. Stifel of Des Moines, a half sister, Judy K. (Stifel) Wiles also of Des Moines as well as her loving husband of 60 years, Jim (James D. Hay) who passed away in June, 2014.

There will be no visitation. A memorial service is being planned for the future and will be announced accordingly.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests that memorial contributions be made to Bishop Drumm Care Center or to the Animal Rescue League of Iowa.