July 18, 1946 – October 19, 2025
Cheryl “Cherry” Lee Hayes, 79, passed away Sunday, October 19th in her home. A private family service will be held, with a Celebration of Life Memorial Visitation being held at a later date.
Cherry was born in Red Oak, Iowa to Charles “Gene” and Delpha “Arline” Doss. She graduated from Mason City High School in 1964, before attending Drake University and Broadlawns School of Nursing in Des Moines, IA where she pursued her passion. Cherry dedicated many years to serving others in the nursing field. Her career led her to time at the Park Clinic, North Iowa Medical Center, she was appointed the Director of Nursing at Oakwood Care Center. After her time at Oakwood she went to North Iowa Medical Center where she was a driving force in starting the Ask a Nurse program. She retired after working with Doctor Gene Kuehn. Cherry spent her retirement doing what she loved most, spending time with her family and shopping.
She married the love of her life, Richard “Dick” Hayes on January 21st, 1968. Their love story started long before that though. After having met as neighbors when they were just kids, the two began dating when they were 14 and 16 years old. Together they started their family and had three children, Cory, Chad, and Kimberly. The three gave them 12 grandkids and now they have many great grandkids. Dick and Cherry loved to travel together. Some of their favorite destinations were Barbados, Greece, family vacations to Turtle Lake, and their winters together in Gulf Shores, AL.
Cherry loved to create wonderful holiday memories for her family. She would decorate every inch of her home and was known for her elaborate table settings. Cherry had many hobbies. One of them being sewing. For her, sewing was not only a hobby but a talent! She used to spend a lot of time sewing and even had a room designated for it. Cooking was another one she shared with her family, teaching her grandkids the fundamentals of the kitchen. You can’t talk about Cherry’s hobbies without mentioning shopping. She had a keen eye and loved everything, shoes and clothes. Her spunky sense of style matched her personality to no end!
She is survived by her husband, Dick Hayes; children, Cory (Pam) Hayes, Chad (Brook) Hayes and Kimberly McKenna; 12 grandchildren, Christina (Rodney) Carpenter, Chase (Sarah) Wilkinson, Cortney (Jordan Miller) Hayes, Jacob Hayes, Kaitlyn Heck (Stephen Daly), Maxwell McKenna, Emma (Noah) Stevenson, Josi Lonneman (Cade Coslow), Madeline McKenna (Preston Morton), Meredith McKenna, Cooper Hayes, Kamryn Hayes; great- grandchildren, Zayden, Zander, Weston, Mylah and Jacob Hayes, Daxton Wilkinson, Declan Wilkinson, Silas Wilkinson, Payton Heck, Eli Heck, Scottlyn Stevenson, Maeve Cotton-Morton, and Willow Cotton-Morton.
She was preceded in death by her father, Gene Doss; mother, Arline Marsh; stepfather, Dale Marsh; brother, Douglas Doss; infant sister, Pam Doss; father-in-law, George Hayes; mother-in-law, Anna Mae Hayes, and brother-in-law Ronnie Hayes.
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