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Official Obituary of

Winifred Lenore (Swearingen) Hays

March 8, 1918 ~ December 2, 2021 (age 103) 103 Years Old

Winifred Hays Obituary

Winifred L. Swearingen Hays, 103, of East Peoria, IL, formerly of Bradford, IL passed away peacefully on Thursday, December 2, 2021 at her home. She was born on March 8, 1918 in Bradford, IL to Pearl and Mable (Noyes) Swearingen.

She married Raymond H. Hays on May 24, 1957 in Lincoln, IL and he preceded her in death on March 15, 2012. She was also preceded in death by her brother Jim and two sisters Lillian O’Donoghue and Gertrude Comstock.

She leaves behind sister-in-law Grace Swearingen, nieces Sheila Flaherty, Paula Stevenson, Kimberly Rusesky, and Sally Johnson, and nephew TJ Swearingen as well as many grand-nieces and grand-nephews.

Winifred graduated from the University of Illinois in 1940 and has been an ILLINI sports fan for years as well as a diehard Chicago Blackhawks fan. Her legacy includes becoming a “Gypsy Coed”, and was the last living of the several college girls who traveled in a 1927 Model T from Bradford to various parts of the United States, including meeting and becoming friends with Henry Ford at his home in Michigan. Her photos and stories were endless and very entertaining.

At 102 she experienced pneumonia and was hospitalized with COVID for only four days but bounced right back to enjoying her family and friends. Her favorite thing to do recently was to be sure the many birds and squirrels in her yard were fed and the bird bath was full.

The family would like to thank all the wonderful people that cared for her over the last couple of years.

Cremation rites have been accorded. A private family burial will take place in Bradford Cemetery in Bradford, IL on Saturday, December 18, 2021. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be given to the American Heart Association, 2141 West White Oaks Drive, Suite A, Springfield, IL 62704, St. Jude Midwest Affiliate, 530 NE Glen Oak Avenue, Peoria, IL 61637, or to a charity of the donor’s choice. Online condolences at www.masonfuneralhomes.com.

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