HELEN J McQuay, 102 of Bayard, Nebraska passed away at Chimney Rock Villa in Bayard on Sunday, December 25, 2022.
Helen (Haines) McQuay was born to Wilford M and Lenora (Schefsky) Haines in Burwell, Nebraska on June 24, 1920. She graduated from Burwell High School in 1937 and was first employed as timekeeper for the company that put in the first irrigation system on the North Loup River. Subsequently, she worked for them on a levee job in Vincennes, Indiana and then went to Jackson, Mississippi to manage the home office there.
Following her second marriage and the birth of her first two children, she moved to Arizona I 1944. In 1957, she was employed as secretary-bookkeeper office manager at the University of Arizona’s Laboratory of Tree-Ring Research, where she retired in 1987.
Before retiring, she bought and developed property in the White Mountains of east Central Arizona between the town of Alpine and Luna Lake. She lived there for 13 years before ill health necessitated the move to Bayard to be near her daughters.
Helen’s special interests were her family and her dogs and cats. She also enjoyed church and school volunteering, membership in the Bush Valley Craft Club. She liked to bird hunt and fly fish. In later years, her primary interest were animal welfare organizations, reading and working crossword and jigsaw puzzles.
She was preceded in death by her parents, two brothers, Harold L and Bernard G Haines, one sister Corinne (Wayne) Stewart, son Eugene B Griffin and two husbands.
Survivors include two daughters Josephine (Tony) Marquez and Beverly (David) Scott both of Bayard, NE; six grandchildren, 8 great grandchildren and two great great grandchildren.
Following cremation, the remains will be buried at her mountain property in Arizona. At her request, no services will be held. Fond memories and condolences may be left at www.dugankramer.com. Dugan Kramer Funeral Chapel is assisting the family with arrangements.