Marvis "Janet" Hayes

August 23, 1935 — March 21, 2024

Marvis Hayes

Service Details

Janet Hayes was born in rural Washington Township in Page County, Iowa on August 23, 1935 to Marvin and Marie (Foxworthy) Hayes. She graduated from the Northboro school and then attended Clarinda Junior College. After receiving a pre-professional teaching certificate, Janet taught junior high in Logan for two years and then completed a BA degree at Iowa State Teachers College at UNI. Several years later, Janet earned her MA degree at the University of Missouri Kansas City. She taught at Keokuk Junior High until 1978 and went to finish her career at Southeast Warren High School. After retiring from the classroom, Janet worked at Sylvan Learning Center assisting students in improving their reading and composition skills.

In Keokuk, Janet spent the evenings and Saturdays teaching junior high girls the game of basketball since it was not yet played in larger high school districts. After retiring and moving to Des Moines, she scheduled a class in Granny basketball for Senior College and handled a basketball again after nearly 40 years. There she discovered that although the brain remembered the game, the body hadn’t. In recent years, Janet had volunteered for the Senior College of Greater Des Moines as a member of the curriculum committee. During high school and junior college, she sang in the girls’ trio, sextet, quartet, mixed chorus, and the college choir. In Keokuk, Janet was a member of the choir of Trinity United Methodist Church.

Many friendships were formed over the years though professional education associations, civic, and church groups. In addition to professional organizations, Janet had held a membership in the AAUW, the United Methodist Church, Phi Delta Kappa, and Delta Kappa Gamma, which she served as a state president.

Janet’s varied interests included singing, listening to music, genealogy, reading, travel, animals, ecology, documentaries, MUFON, and always held an interest in continuing to learn. She was a life-long fan of the Brooklyn/Los Angeles Dodgers and the Iowa Hawkeyes. Janet’s calendar always had the Hawkeye football games, as well as the men’s and women’s basketball schedules posted. One of her biggest regrets is witnessing the deaths of many small towns where life was full for those growing up in the post-World War II era.

Janet is survived by her sister Marilyn Hayes of Des Moines, her beloved felines Jasmine and Jessie, and 12 first cousins.

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