Christella (Stella) Mae Hays 98, of Yarrow, Missouri died Thursday morning (February 8, 1996) at the Twin Pines Adult Care Center in Kirksville, Missouri.

The daughter of John Willard and Miriah (Gunnels) Cook, she was born July 10, 1897 in Yarrow, Missouri. On December 25, 1919 in Yarrow, Missouri she married Harley Lawrence Hays who preceded her in death.

Also preceding her in death were her parents; one son in infancy; one grandson, Larry Sigman; one son-in-law, Coy Sigman and one sister, Cory Swanson.

She is survived by one son, Cleeland Hays and wife Nolia of Kirksville, Missouri; one daughter, Leticia Sigman of Murfreesboro, Arkansas; six grandchildren, Kathy Sullivan and husband Gene, Tom Hays and wife Judy, Karen Hammons and husband Keith, John Sigman, Ike Sigman and Tony Sigman; thirty great-grandchildren; seventeen great-great-grandchildren and one sister-in-law, Myrtle Adams of Gifford, Missouri.

Stella was raised in the Yarrow, Missouri area where she attended the Mount Zion School. She also attended and graduated from the Normal School in Kirksville, Missouri. She taught school at the Golden Rule School in western Adair County, Missouri. She farmed with her husband on a farm west of Yarrow where she lived until 1983 when she went into the nursing home. She was always willing to help people by taking them into her own home or taking care of them in their home. She was a wonderful person.

She attended the Union Temple Church in western Adair County, Missouri.

Funeral service will be held at 2:00 p.m. Sunday (February 11, 1996) at the Davis-Playle Chapel with the Reverend Virgil Jones officiating. Music will be provided by Carlyle Walker singing 'Beautiful Isle Of Somewhere" and "The Old Rugged Cross" accompanied by Cheyrl [sic] Newland, organist. Burial will be in the Union Temple Cemetery in western Adair County, Missouri.

Pallbearers will be Tim Acton, Tom Hays, Jr., Todd Hays, Justin Harris, Kenneth Acton and James Ralston.

Honorary Pallbearers will be Brandon Claybrook, Melvin Huff, Gene Sullian, Keith Hammons, Sam Breslin, Kevin Gardner, Tom Hays, Sr., and Phillip Hultgren.