Margaret E. Hayes

Margaret Eileen Hayes (Nee Banghart) passed away at Harlin House on June 29 in West Branch, at the age of 96. She was born on December 23, 1914 in Saginaw, MI to Elmer and Elizabeth Mable (Dyer) Banghart. Margaret moved to Sterling, MI from Detroit in 1946 after the loss of her husband George A. Wilkinson, a professional musician, from the effects of an airplane crash on August 11, 1945. She moved to West Branch in 1947 and along with her brother Ronald Banghart, opened the Ogemaw Airpark on M76, six miles south of West Branch, where she and many local men and women learned to fly light aircraft under the watchful eyes of Bud McFadden and Mark Maisonville the flight instructors. Margaret loved being with family and friends and she drove a school bus for several years. She was always the lady in her manner and thinking. When traveling with her first husband, she was often the roommate of the band singers. One notable singer was the future actress, Betty Hutton. She married Carl Hayes on September 21, 1951 in West Branch, and has been a devoted wife and mother for over seventy-six years. Margaret is survived by her husband, Carl Hayes and five children, G. Barry Wilkinson (Janet) of West Branch, Brian L. Wilkinson of Oviedo, FL, Mark E. Hayes of Bastrop, TX, Kerry T. Hayes (Joyce) of Venice, FL. and Tim F. Hayes of West Branch. She is also survived by seven grandchildren, Barry J. Wilkinson (Bernadette) of Saugus, MA, Mary N. Wilkinson of Peabody, MA, Dalen (Burt) Colucci of Jonesboro, AR, Lindsey Wilkinson of Oviedo, FL, Krystil N. Hayes of Texas, Taylor M. Hayes of Texas, and Seamus K. Hayes of Denver, CO and one great grandchild, Dominic Colucci of Jonesboro, AR. Margaret was cremated and burial will be at St. Joseph Cemetery in West Branch.