Marjorie Allen Hays

Obituaries March 4, 2010

Posted on 08 March 2010

Marjorie Allen Hays

Marjorie Allen Hays died on February 26, 2010 of naturalk causes. She was 102 years old. Born in New York City on August 30, 1907, she was raised on 132^nd Street in Harlem by her parents, John Thomas and Victoria Allen. She came up through the New York City pblic school system and later attended City Cllege of New York from 1936 to 1940, Vassar Colege in 1948 and New York University from 1949 to 1950 and 1959 to 1960. Her 1926 marriage to Rudolph Haysended in divorce in 1946. Mrs. Hays mover to Jamaica, Queens in 1929 where she raised her two children, Rudolph, Jr. and Little Marjorie, called Peggy.

During World War II Mrs. Hays was an assistant field director for the American Red Cross at Foprt Huachuca, Ariz., from 1942 to 1946. From 1946 to 1948 she was program director at Lincoln Center, in Poughkeepsie, N.Y., and worked as a recreation specialist at Bellevue Hospital in New York City from 1948 to 1950 ad held that same post at New York Tuberculosis and Health Association. In 1952 she held the post of recreation director for the New York City Department of Hospitals, Bird S. Color Hospital, Welfare Island.

After joining Grace Episcopal Church in Jamaica, Mrs. Hays joined Episcopal Church Women and was very active in the parish. Her children also attended regularly. In the early 1990s, Mrs. Hays and her son, Rudy, a former New York City policeman, moved to Sag Harbor and joiuned Christ Episcopal Church, where she and her son were active members. While still in her late 90s, Mrs. Hays organized a bus trip to The Cloisters for the Christ Church parish, a trip that was enjoyed by all.

Mrs. Hays is listed in the “Who’s Who of American Women,” fifth edition, 1968-69. She celebrated her 100^th birthday in August of 2007 with all her friends and fellow parishioners at Christ Church and was prominently featured by the Eastville Community Hisptorical Society in eth exhibition: “AfricanAmericans in the U.S. Mililtary” during Africa American History Month, 2006. She was also featured ina story about her life that same year in the East Hampton Star.

“Marjorie Hays has had a truly distinguished career and all who knew her were in constant awe of her sense of humor, and her energy and enthusiasm, despite her advanced years,” said her family.

She is survived by her children, Rudolph Hays of Sag Harbor, Marjorie (Peggy) Keilough of Los Angeles, Calif., great-grandson Erik Keilough and his mother Charlene Keilough, and a host of friends in Queens and Sag Harbor.

Viewing is Thursday, March 4 from 7 to 9 p.m. at Christ Episcopal Church, corner of Hampton and East Union streets, Sag Harbor. A viewing and funeral mass is scheduled for Friday, March 5, at 9:30 a.m. at Christ Church. Interment will follow at Grace Church, Jamaica, Queens, in the early afternoon. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be sent to: Christ Episcopal Church Building Fund, PO Box 570, Sag Harbor, N.Y. 11963, or Parkinson’s Disease Foundation, Suite 1509, 1359 Broadway, New York, N.Y., 10018.