OBITUARY: Fay Hand Feb. 16, 1932 – Oct. 3, 2014

FAYE HAND Feb. 16, 1932 – Oct. 3, 2014

Fay Hand was an amazing woman. She loved cooking large fancy holiday dinners, shopping, time with her family, gardening, kitty-cats, and (surprisingly) the Phoenix Suns basketball team. For those of us that knew her, it is with fond memories that we look back on her life. For those of you that didn’t know her quite as well, this is the story of her life. 

Wanda Fay Clark was born on February 16, 1932. She grew up with two sisters, Iris and Patsy. Their young lives were filled with wild adventures that she loved to tell stories about. She met her husband, Russell, at the age of 15, and is still known by the nickname “fifteen” by her brother-in-laws. They were married in 1949 and moved to Deer Park, Texas, in 1955. Fay had 1 child, a daughter, named Katherine Fay. She and Russell loved their daughter more than life itself. Fay loved being a mother and took such pride in raising her daughter. Mrs. Hand worked as a Cafeteria Manager at several local Deer Park schools.

In 1982, the couple moved to New Mexico to be near their daughter who was expecting her first and only child, a granddaughter named Chelsea Marie. Fay and Russell lived in White Rock, New Mexico, where Russell worked as a carpenter and Fay became a most impressive gardener. Her flower gardens were featured in Master Gardener Tours and were an amazing sight to be seen. They were extremely hard workers and also built several custom homes. Fay had a stunning talent for decorating and really brought these homes to life. Fay and Russell, or Mema and Gramp, as they were lovingly referred to by their family, enjoyed spending time with their granddaughter and helped watch her several days a week when she was young. It was a very special relationship that meant a lot to them. Their granddaughter would have 2 children, Cole and Hayden, who would also grow to have a very close relationship with their great-grandparents.

In 2006, the Hands moved to Arizona to enjoy their retirement together in a warmer climate. They enjoyed all of the close friends they made at their retirement village and loved the many fun activities there. Later in life, Fay suffered from hydrocephalus; a condition that left her wheelchair bound and robbed her of much of her short-term memory. Her husband remained endlessly devoted to her and made such heartfelt efforts to take care of his wife, who was truly the love of his life. It was so important to him to do his best to show her the love and care that she had always shown him. He was tirelessly devoted to her. Fay moved to Horizon Bay, an assisted-living facility in Mesa, Arizona, in 2011. Russell came every morning to bring her breakfast and spend time with her. The staff at this facility was nothing short of amazing. The honest, tender, loving care that they provided to Fay in the last years of her life meant so much to Fay and her family. Fay’s daughter also lived nearby most of the year and was able to spend time with her and enjoy lunches out on the town with her mother.

Her husband, Russell, passed away just over a year ago in a car accident while on his way to take breakfast to his wife one morning. She was never quite the same without him. Late in the evening of Friday, October 3rd, Fay passed away in her sleep from natural causes. Her daughter had been visiting with her most of that day and had spent the time sharing old photographs and talking about treasured happy memories. Her family is at peace with her passing and will miss her so incredibly deeply. In fitting with Fay’s wishes, we will not be holding a formal memorial service or funeral. If you have any special memories, thoughts, or questions that you would like to share with the family, please send them to Fay.Hand@yahoo.com … Photographs and memories from Fay’s life are posted at www.FayHand.Blogspot.com … In honor of her memory, donations can be made to the Hydrocephalus Association @ http://www.hydroassoc.org/ways-to-give/

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