Shirley Elise Hays

Shirley Elise Hays went to be with the Lord on April 9, 2025. She passed at Meritus Medical Center, surrounded by loved ones. She is preceded in death by her beloved husband, Donald E. Hays. She fell in love with him when she was 15. She is also preceded by her mother, Mae (Sis) Stonesifer; father, Marvin Smith; sister, Jenny Domer; and her brother, Jay Smith.
She has left behind her sister Sondra Serino; nieces, Sharla Detrow (Kenny), and Kalthy Holton; nephews, Jason Holton, Darin Meadows (Julie) and Michael Meadows (Gail Synder); great nieces and nephews; her stepchildren Donald E. Hays, Jr. (Sandy) and Donna S. Strayer (Ronnie). She has also left her neighbors, who became family, David, RuAnne, Sarah, Ellen and Dominic Salvatore.
During her life worked as a hair stylist, a traveling magazine saleswoman, a nurses aide at various hospitals in Washington and Howard counties. She worked in the money room at Charlestown Race Track and at Canteen. In addition, she worked as a waitress/hostess in many restaurants in Washington, Frederick and Howard countries.
Her favorite job was working at The South Mountain Inn. In her early years she loved to drag race on 81, before it was completed. She loved animals of all kinds. She especially loved to ride horses. She was a dog person, but later in life she loved her 2 cats. She became a fan of baseball early in her life. She gathered foul balls for the local teams her father managed. Shirley loved her Orioles and watched every game she could, even reruns, when she knew the outcome. She especially loved talking baseball to her favorite young baseball player and neighbor, Dominic.
She will be greatly missed by her family, friends and neighbors.
The family would like to thank the nursing staff on 5 West at Meritus for taking such great care of Shirley during her last days.
A celebration of life service will be held at Davis Funeral Home on April 24, 2025 at 3:00 p.m. visitation service at 4:00 p.m.
In lieu of flowers, we request donations be made to Washington County Humane Society and Valley Little League in Chewsville, MD.