The family and friends of Helen Buthod Hayes mourn today her passing at the age of 97. Helen passed away peacefully from restrictive lung disease, surrounded by her family.

Helen was born in Tulsa, Oklahoma, where she lived her entire life, making a home for her dear husband John and her beloved eight children. She attended Marquette high school before graduating from the University of Tulsa with a degree in English (which was a blessing and a curse for her children when they had papers to write). During college, she met her future husband John Hayes, and they were married at St. Francis Xavier Church in 1947.

Helen and John traveled often, visiting their children who lived throughout the United States and Europe. She delighted in her grandchildren and loved taking pictures of all of them (and often), filling hundreds of photo albums over the years. Some of the grandkids and great-grandkids would hide in delight when they saw grandma's camera! She was the unofficial photographer for the Women's Club at her church, the Church of the Madalene.

Helen loved to read, a passion she passed on to her children and for which they are eternally grateful. She worked at B. Dalton Bookseller for many years after most of her children had graduated high school. Helen also loved making quilts and hand-made a special and beautiful quilt for all of her grandchildren's graduations and weddings, and eventually for many of her great grandchildren's births, quilting well into her 90s. Helen also loved to bake chocolate chip cookies, for which she was famous, and her Aunt Mabel's apple pie, which eventually became Aunt Helen's apple pie. She and John delighted in hosting yearly Fourth of July parties at their cabin in Strang, Oklahoma, for many friends and family.

Helen was preceded in death by her dear husband of 67 years, John; her mother and father, Charles and Beulah Buthod; her brothers, Jack Buthod and Paul Buthod; her sister, Mary Rose Grummer; and her grandchildren, Michael Hayes Gray, and Steven Willars Hayes.

She leaves behind her eight beloved children and their spouses, Kathleen (Hayes) Allen and Bill, Kevin Hayes and Janet, Robert Hayes and Kathryn Dunlevie, Susan (Hayes) Scott and John, Margaret (Hayes) Cremin and Kevin, Sharon (Hayes) Foraker and David, Michael Hayes and Diana, Beth (Hayes) Gray and Steve; 16 grandchildren; 19 great-grandchildren; and numerous nieces, nephews, friends, and other relatives, all of whom loved her and will miss her beautiful smile, spirit, and kindness.

Very special thanks to the management and staff at Burgundy Place, where Helen lived independently for the last 6 years of her life, to Dr. Ethel Harmon and Stephanie Russell PA, for their always loving care and compassion, and to the angels at Compassus Hospice.

Rosary will be held Friday, December 8th at 7:00 PM, at the Church of the Madalene, 3188 East 22nd Street Tulsa, OK. Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10:00 AM, on December 9th, at the Church of the Madalene with luncheon following in the church hall. Burial at Calvary Cemetery (91st & Harvard, Tulsa) will follow the luncheon.

The funeral service will be live-streamed at Church of the Madalene on YouTube at 10 AM.

Memorials may be made to Catholic Charities, Tulsa, OK, or to: Burgundy Place. 8887 S. Lewis Ave., Tulsa, OK 74137.

Fitzgerald Ivy Chapel, 918-585-1151