Christine Hayes Obituary

Sister Christine Hayes, OSF, 79, died on February 1, 2012 at Pikes Peak Hospice in Penrose Hospital, Colorado Springs, CO. Margaret Mary Hayes was born December 22, 1932 to Allan Charles and Ernestine (Stanzel) Hayes in Platte Center, NE, the youngest of seven children. The family moved to Columbus, NE when she was quite young; there she attended Saint Bonaventure grade and high schools. After high school graduation, she joined the Franciscans with whom she shared life for the next 60 years. This year she would have celebrated her 60th anniversary as a Sister of Saint Francis of Perpetual Adoration. Sister Christine earned a BA in Education from the College of St. Joseph (University of Albuquerque) in 1962, and an MS in Administration from St. Mary's College, Xavier, Kansas in 1970. During her 24 year career in teaching and administration, she taught in Catholic Schools in the states of NE, NM, CO and SD. She served as principal of Scotus Junior High School from 1966 to 1973, and then as principal and program director of St. Anthony Child Care Center, Albuquerque, NM, a residential treatment center for emotionally disturbed children. She was also co-directress of the Campus Ministry Program at the University of Albuquerque from 1974 to 1976. After two years of administration at Sacred Heart School in Yankton, SD, Sister Christine returned to St. Bonaventure Parish in Columbus, NE as Pastoral Minister until 1987 when she moved to Mount Saint Francis to establish the Franciscan Retreat Center and serve as its director until 2002. She then served as Mission and Values Coordinator for the Mount Saint Francis ministries from 2002 until March of 2010. Since then she has been semi-retired: serving as a "community driver" and never missing an opportunity to chauffer Sisters on outings to the mountains or other outdoor places of beauty. We recall her great love for all of creation, especially the deer. All who loved Sister Chris will continue to cherish her memory, tell her Irish jokes, and treasure her many items of Irish memorabilia. We fondly remember her annual ritual of wearing "green" for the whole month of March and hosting St. Patrick Day parties. Our fun-loving Sister directed kitchen bands, always dressed up for Halloween, and had lots of jokes and stories to tell upon any occasion. While being only half Irish by heritage, she was Irish to the core by choice and ever-ready to celebrate, wear green, tell Irish jokes, and a little blarney too... Sister Chris wanted to be known as a woman who loved life as a member of the Hayes family and as a Sister of Saint Francis. She is survived by two sisters, Catherine Putnam and Dorothy Cuba, her sister-in-law Mrs. Dick Hayes, and several nieces and nephews. The rosary for Sister Christine will be prayed in the Mount Saint Francis Nursing Center Chapel at 2:30 pm on Sunday, February 5th, 2012. Visitation will be in Saint Francis of Assisi Parish Church at 3:30 pm followed by Vespers and a Wake Service at 5:15 pm on Sunday, February 5th, with the Mass of Resurrection celebrated at 10:30 am on Monday, February 6, 2012 in the Parish Church followed by burial in the Mount Saint Francis Cemetery. Memorials may be sent to Sisters of Saint Francis, 7665 Assisi Heights, Colorado Springs, CO 80919.