Mary Esther Harvey McGinty Hays, age 95, passed away Monday, May 15 at Piedmont Newton Hospital in Covington.
Mary Esther was born June 2, 1921 in Monticello. to the late David Nesbit Harvey, Sr. and Mary Louise Chiles Harvey. She spent her childhood in Monticello and graduated from Monticello High School. She then attended Georgia State College for Women in Milledgeville where she received a degree in education. Her teaching career began in Mansfield and continued across the state in Waynesboro, Newnan, Athens, Quitman, and Thomasville where she retired after 31 years in the classroom.
In 1945, Mary Esther married V.C. McGinty, a fellow educator from Norwood, GA, and lived happily with him until his death in 1988. During their marriage, the couple traveled extensively in the U.S., Europe, Asia, Australia and New Zealand and enjoyed many vacations on the Gulf Coast. In 1991, she married Jack Hays of Mansfield, GA and moved to Covington. She embraced his children as her own and enjoyed the role of step-mother and grandmother. After Jack’s death in 2001, Mary moved to Presbyterian Village in Austell and then to Merryvale Assisted Living in Oxford, Ga.
Mary Esther grew up in the Monticello Presbyterian Church, was an active member of the Thomasville Baptist Church, and was most recently a member of the Covington First United Methodist Church where she was a member of the Callie Cohen Circle, the Senior Saints Choir, the Over 50 Club, and the Christian Fellowship Sunday School Class. She recently attended a celebration of her status as the oldest member of that class. Mary was also a member of the Sergeant Newton chapter of the Daughters of the Revolution and a Member of the Service Guild of Covington.
Mary Esther is survived by her sister in law, Vernice Harvey of Austell, step-daughter Harriett Butchko (Greg) of Lake Forest, Illinois and step-son Ed Hays (Carol) of Marietta, Step-grandchildren Marcie Rumfelt of Chattanooga, Tennessee, Lyn Douglas of Dawson, Lauren and Will Hays of Marietta, and Karin and Jeff Butchko of Lake Forest, Illinois. Nieces and nephews Bob Powell, Dr. David Harvey III, Carl Stone, Nancy Piscatella, John Stone, Joan Vanderslice, and Diane Dawkins, and several great nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her parents, her husbands, her brother, David Nesbitt, Jr., her sisters, Emmie Louise Powell and Drucilla Stone, a step-son, Bill Hays and two nephews, Sam and Bob Stone.
A graveside service will be held Saturday, May 20, 2017 at 2 p.m. at Westview Cemetery, Westview Street, Monticello.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in her name to the Monticello Presbyterian Church P. O. Box 308, Monticello, Georgia 31064; or the Covington First United Methodist Church 1113 Conyers St., SW, Covington, Georgia 30014.
Jordan Funeral Home, Monticello, GA.
www.jordanfuneralhomemonticello.com.
