Richard Warren Hays and Wanda DeFrance Hays of Marietta

(08/27/2020)
Richard Warren Hays and Wanda DeFrance Hays of Marietta, Ohio have passed away on March 19, 2019 and on August 15, 2020 respectively, both at the age of 84.

Richard was born and raised in West Virginia and Wanda was born and raised in Nebraska. The couple moved to Marietta, Ohio with their two daughters from Bridgeport, Nebraska in 1976.

Richard was a pharmacist and Wanda was a legal secretary. In Bridgeport, they co-owned Bun’s Drugstore in the 1970’s and in Marietta, they owned the Baskin Robbins ice cream store in the 1980’s.

Richard and Wanda are survived by their two daughters and their families, Debra and Rob Keelen of Lexington, Kentucky who are parents to William Eucker and Leah Keelen; and Lori and James Welch, Jr. of Seminole, Florida who are parents to James, III (Nicole) and Maggie Welch.

Wanda is survived by her sister Cherrill Cobb of Merriman/Gordon, Nebraska and is preceded in death by her sister Carrell Cook of Cheyenne, Wyoming and her parents Donald and Viva DeFrance of Bridgeport, Nebraska.

Richard was the youngest and last surviving Hays sibling of eight and the son of the late Edwin and Agnes Hays of Arnoldsburg, West Virginia.

A private graveside service will be held in the Hays Cemetery near Richard’s hometown of Arnoldsburg, West Virginia at a later date.