Audry Maxine Hays (Lebanon)'s Obituary
Audry Maxine Spradling Hays, daughter of Charles Edward and Irene Carter Gilmer, was born June 19, 1924, in Hadley, Missouri. She departed this life Friday, April 25, 2014, in Christian Health and Rehabilitation Center in Hermitage, Missouri, at the age of eighty-nine years, ten months, and seven days.
On April 22, 1944, she was united in marriage to John Henry Benton Spradling and they shared twenty-six years before his passing on October 9, 1971.
On November 11, 1972, she married Simon P. “Jack” Hays, and they shared thirty-seven years before his passing on May 15, 2010.
Her parents also preceded her in death.
Audry is survived by three daughters, Mary Maxine Griffus, of Hermitage, Missouri, Bertha Breshears, and her husband, Robert, of Pittsburg, Missouri, and Teresa Shockley, of West Memphis, Arkansas; four sons, Charles Spradling, and his wife, Darlene, of Phillipsburg, Missouri, Elmer Spradling, and his wife, Phyllis, of Hermitage, Missouri, Gary Spradling, and his wife, Donna, and Colter Spradling, and his wife, Sheila, all of Wheatland, Missouri; fifteen grandchildren; twenty-three great-grandchildren; six great-great-grandchildren; a number of step-children, step-grandchildren, and step-great-grandchildren; three brothers, Charles Eugene Gilmer, of St. Louis, Missouri, Henry Edward Gilmer, and his wife, Reva, of Ellington, Missouri, and Floyd Elvis Gilmer, and his wife, Sandra, of Hermitage, Missouri; three sisters, Martha Ellen Jones, of Lebanon, Missouri, Sally Marie Wood-Weekley, of Warrenton, Missouri, and Doris Imogene Pogue, of Ellington, Missouri; several nieces and nephews; as well as a host of other relatives and friends.
She was raised in the Redford community, in Southeast Missouri, and graduated from high school there. She moved to St. Louis, Missouri, where she was a real life “Rosie the Riveter”, working for Carter Carburetor Company for a few years. After she and John were married, they made their home in various places following John’s work, but always kept their home place near Phillipsburg, Missouri. She and Jack lived in West Memphis, Arkansas for several years before retiring and moving back to the Phillipsburg area. Throughout the years, Audry was a devoted homemaker and loving mother to her husband and family.
Audry had made her profession of faith in Christ and followed the Pentecostal faith. She belonged to a Pentecostal church in West Memphis, Arkansas when she lived there, and had transferred her membership to Harvest Tabernacle-United Pentecostal Church after moving back to Lebanon.
In her spare time she enjoyed fishing, quilting, sewing, and gardening. She was devoted to raising her children and was known for being a tough mom when she needed to be. She loved her family dearly and especially enjoyed spending time with all of her grandchildren.
Audry was a loving mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, great-great-grandmother, sister, aunt, and was a caring neighbor and friend. We celebrate her life and know that her family and friends will cherish the wonderful memories she created for them during her eighty-nine years.
Memorial donations to the Alzheimer's Foundation may be made through the funeral home.
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