Vella D. Hays, Minneapolis (formerly of Kansas City, Missouri) left to be with her Lord Jesus Christ on Wednesday, September 2, 2009.
She was born August 11, 1921 in Maple, Arkansas to Tom and Bertha (Sooter) Plumlee.
On January 16, 1937, she was united in marriage with Ben Hays in Dimmitt, Texas. She worked for Wayland College, Plainview, Texas, Boeing Aircraft, Wichita, Kansas, and the Wichita Public Schools as a cook. Vella was a resident of Kansas City, Missouri for forty years before moving to Minneapolis, Kansas several years ago. In her senior years, she was a homemaker. Vella received the Lord Jesus Christ as her Lord and Savior at the age of 11. While living in Kansas City, she was a member of the Beacon Street Baptist Church. After moving to Minneapolis, she became a member of New Beginnings Christian Fellowship Church.
Vella loved to cook and entertain in her home. She provided refreshments for Vacation Bible School and had a Bible study in her home. She was a church greeter and visited people on the phone, at home, and in the hospitals. Vella sent cards and letters to anyone who needed encouragement. Any time a family member needed help she was there for them. She was there for anyone, not just family members.
Vella's hobbies included crocheting, embroidering, and putting puzzles together. She loved to read and she kept the family genealogy.
Vella was preceded in death by her parents; her husband Ben on August 6, 1985; her son Bobby Hays on December 29, 1996; her grandson David Martin on October 31, 1995; and her siblings Lula Plumlee, Beulah Swafford, Faye Cron, and Tom Plumlee, Jr.
Survivors include her daughter Rev. Helen Martin and her husband Ray of Minneapolis; her sister Lois Robinson and her husband Preston of Alverta, California; her brother Marvin Plumlee and his wife Norma of Kansas City, Missouri; four grandchildren, Mark Hays and his wife Teresa of St. John, Kansas, Gayle Basore and her husband Tom of Newton, Kansas, Daniel Martin and his wife Amy of Raymore, Missouri, and Robbie Hays of Wichita, Kansas; seven great-grandchildren, Brandon Hays, Christine John, Dedra Cook, Grant Gordon, Alex and Jackson Martin, and Elijah Basore; and three great-great grandchildren.
Visitation will be from 2 P.M. to 8 P.M. Friday, September 4 at Wilson Shields Funeral Home, Minneapolis where the family will receive friends from 4 P.M. to 7 P.M. Another viewing will be from 12 noon to 1 P.M. Monday at Earp and Sons Funeral Home on Blue Ridge Cutoff in Kansas City, Missouri. Graveside services will be at 2 P.M., Monday, September 14 at Mount Washington Cemetery, Kansas City, Missouri with the Rev. Helen Martin officiating. In lieu of flowers memorials may be made to the Good Samaritan Society – Minneapolis and may be left in care of the funeral home.