Virginia Mae (Ulmer) Hayward

Virginia Mae Hayward (Mae)

A few weeks shy of 98 years old, Virginia Mae Hayward a long life of family, friends, church fellowship and travel.  Born on October 25, 1919 in Rockland, Maine, her parents were Alden and Geneva Ulmer, descendants of Maine’s early settlers, and she was one of six children.  With hard times and at the age of 12, she moved to Belmont, Massachusetts to be raised by her uncle, William Ulmer and his wife Mary.

She thrived in Belmont through her nineties, having graduated Belmont High School, married Gardner L. Hayward, Sr., also a long time Belmont resident whom she met prior to World War II, and raised three children with her husband “Gard” on Vernon Road.

Vee (for Virginia) and Gard were founding members of the Belmont United Methodist Church on Common Street, where they served faithfully for many years and made many lasting friends.

She and her family travelled our country and internationally through Gard’s chemical engineering profession, including Japan where she discovered her passion for flower arranging.  She kept that her lifelong passion and was a long time member and president of the Belmont Garden Club. She shared her love for fine art and American history with her family, was a fine cook and home decorator, and smart dresser as her friends always attested.

Moving to Lebanon, N.H. in 2015, she spent the last years of her life happily near her daughter Juliann Coombs and her family.  Virginia also has two sons, Gardner L. (Skip) Hayward, Jr and David Hayward.

She also leaves grandchildren Chris Hayward, Melanie McDonough, Drew Coombs, Evan Hayward, Lily Hayward and Ali Coombs; great grandchildren Thomas McDonough, Liam McDonough and Luca Chesnut Coombs, and many nieces and nephews whom she loved dearly.

Vee was a great lady with strength and poise.

Her wake will be held from 4:00 PM-7:00 PM, Friday, October 13, 2017 at the Brown & Hickey Funeral Home, 36 Trapelo Rd, Belmont.

The funeral service will be held at 11:00 AM, Saturday, October 14, 2017, at the Belmont-Watertown United Methodist Church, 421 Common St, Belmont.

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