Harold George Hays

THOMPSON- Harold G. Hays, age 86, formerly of Thompson, presently residing at Forest Plaza in Forest City, died Sunday, April 10, 2011 at Valley View Nursing and Rehab Center in Eldora, Iowa with his family surrounding him.

Funeral service will be at 1:30 PM on Saturday, April 16, 2011 at the Petersen Lund Funeral Home 505 N Clark Street in Forest City. Burial will be at Rose Hill Cemetery in Thompson.

Visitation will held on Saturday, April 16, 2011 from 12:30 PM until time of service at the funeral home.

Harold George Hays, the son of George and Mae (Rossiter) was born July 23, 1924 on a farm near Scarville, IA. At about the age of 3, Harold and his family relocated to their home southwest of Thompson. He attended rural school in King Township and graduated from Thompson High School. He was united in marriage to Phyllis Kylen on October 11, 1958. Over his lifetime he was an active member of the United Methodist Church and Bethany Lutheran Church in Thompson; and Springs of Life (formerly Highway Chapel) in Forest City. Among Church ministries, he served on boards, taught Sunday School, and was usher/greeter. Harold was devoted to his Lord and Savior. He cared for people very much and often prayed and shared one of his favorite Bible verses with them "Casting all your care upon Him; for He careth for you (1 Peter 5:7). He and Phyllis sponsored several children from Taiwan and Japan many years through the Christian Children's fund (currently Childfund International). For several years Harold was a member of The Gideons International. He was active in the local Forest City Gideon "camp" distributing many New Testaments purchased by the Gideon organization, in schools and jails. He also was active in the jail ministry for the Gideons. He represented the Gideons in Winnebago County churches by sharing the Gideon message: the Gospel of Jesus Christ. He loved nature and the outdoors. He was a crop and livestock farmer and assistant to the county surveyor (Laurence Kroeze). Harold enjoyed bird watching, identifying trees, gardening and sharing his fresh produce, raising specialty chickens, raising rare domestic mulefoot hogs, reading (his favorite topics were world events, history and geography) and spending time with his family, including his pet dogs. He also enjoyed music and listening to Phyllis play the organ in their home. Harold had a sense of humor, spontaneously telling jokes and humorous stories.

Harold is survived by his wife of 52 years, Phyllis Hays, his four children: Jona Hays (Rickie) of Hudson, WI; Anita Hays (Seymour) of Des Moines, IA; Tim(Jamie) Hays of Faribault, MN; and Polly (Jeff) Roll of Eldora, IA; eight grandchildren and two great grandchildren. He is survived by four sisters: Dorothy Hemmye; Betty Palmer, Helen Southard (Ed), and Leone Leavitt (Glen).

Harold was preceded in death by his parents, an infant daughter: Sheila Paulete, three brothers-in-law: Bill Wilson; Jerry Palmer and Robert Hemmye and one son-in-law: Bruce Qualley.