Mary Ella Hayford was born January 26th 1927 in Hermosa SD to Eddie Lee and Mary Ellen (Lobdell) Couch. She grew up around the Rapid City area until 1941 when they moved to Milboro, SD. She attended a rural school in Winner South Dakota and finished her senior year in Dupree SD in 1945. While in Dupree she helped work on the family farm with her father. She moved to Rapid City to attend the National School of Business, where she graduated in December 1946.

She married Nathan Orville Raymond Hayford on January 23rd 1947 in Rapid City SD. Mary and Nathan lived mainly in the Black HIlls except for the 2 years they lived in Milboro. Since 1949 Mary and Nathan have lived in Sturgis where they raised their family. In 2004 Mary moved to Austell GA with Janice Casteel, then returning to Sturgis 2 years later, to live out her final years.

She is survived by her children Raymond (Carol) Hayford of Hoschton GA, Janice Casteel of Sturgis, Marilyn (Leon) Coolley of Spearfish, Dale (Syd) Hayford of Spearfish, and Debbie Hayford and special friend John Purdy of Hiram Ga, 13 grandchildren and 25 great grandchildren, 2 sisters Jean Edwards and Faye Applegate and one brother, Basil Couch.

She was preceeded in death by her parents Eddie and Mary Hayford,husband Nathan, brothers Earl and Vernley Couch, 6 sisters, Verna, Vera, Lois, Hazel, Lorraine, and Ruby, 2 daughters Judy Harkness and Betty Lou Hayford and one great grandson Joshua Laird.

Visitation will be 5 until 8 p.m. at the Kinkade Funeral Chapel in Sturgis on Sunday.

Funeral services will be 10 a.m. Monday, November 10, 2014 at the Lifespring Wesleyan Church in Sturgis. Burial follows at the Bear Butte Cemetery in Sturgis.

A memorial has been established to the American Heart Association.

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