Helen F. Hays, 107, of Frankfort passed away December 20, 2020 at Wesley Manor in Frankfort, Indiana.  She was born on December 14, 1913 in Waldron, Indiana and was the youngest of the six children of Clarence T. and Alice (King) Fraker.  She graduated from Fairland High School and from Indiana Business College in Kokomo. While attending Indiana Business College she lived with her sister Kathryn Sellars and family in Forest, Indiana. Helen rode the Interurban from Forest to Kokomo each day and rode the last run it made on June 30, 1932.

After graduation Helen worked for the Aviation Cadet Examining Board in Lafayette and for Prudential Insurance in Crawfordsville. She also worked for the Tri-County Telephone Company in Wingate as an operator and placed some of their final calls on an old-fashioned manual switchboard before it was replaced with a dial system.

Helen married Harold M. Hays on December 22, 1944 in Muncie, IN and moved to Wingate, IN where Harold was a farmer. They had no children, but Helen was a beloved aunt to many nieces and nephews and eventually to great, great great, and great great great nieces and nephews. She always took great interest in their activities and remembered even the smallest details about their lives and their families.

After her husband Harold died on July 23, 1986, Helen continued to live on their farm, but due to failing eyesight moved to Wesley Manor Retirement Community in 1987 to be near her sister Kathryn Sellars. She was one of the oldest (107) and longest tenured (33 years) Wesley Manor residents when she passed away and was loved and respected by residents and staff alike. The family would like to express heartfelt thanks to everyone at the Manor for the exceptional and caring service they provided to Helen for those many years.

While her longevity was amazing, what truly set Helen apart was her attitude. She lived a simple life but was always positive and grateful. She lived her words and was an example to everyone, accepting her visual limitations and hearing difficulties with never a complaint. She always put others before herself. She was a positive force in the lives of all who knew her and will be dearly missed by family and friends.

Memorial donations may be made in Helen’s honor to the Wesley Manor Employee Appreciation Fund, 1555 N. Main Street, Frankfort, IN  46041 or New Hope Chapel, 105 West Main Street, Wingate, IN  47994.

Visitation and Services

Graveside Services will be held at 1 p.m. Saturday, December 26, 2020 at Greenlawn Cemetery in Wingate, Indiana.  Pastor Deborah Musick will officiate.  Out of respect for the health, safety, and comfort of all in attendance, guests will be expected to adhere to current CDC guidelines regarding appropriate social distancing and the wearing of masks.  Goodwin Funeral Home, 200 S. Main Street, Frankfort is honored to assist the Hays family. 

Survived by:

Helen is survived by her nieces and nephews, Nancy Lukins of Louisville, KY; Suzanne Fraker of Chicago, IL; Anne Fraker of Bloomington, IN; Mark Fraker of Victoria, British Columbia, Canada; and Alice Fraker Hawkins of Bloomington, IN, as well as many great nieces and nephews.

Preceded by:

In addition to her husband and parents, she was preceded in death by her sister, Kathryn Fraker Sellars, and her brothers Mark, Otis, Ralph and Archie Fraker.