Helen F. Hayes, a resident of Fishkill, NY since 1966, formerly of Dobbs Ferry and Yonkers, passed away peacefully surrounded by her loving family on Friday, March 14, 2025 at Vassar Brothers Medical Center in Poughkeepsie. She was 86.

Daughter of the late James and Helen (Cavanaugh) Howard , she was born on January 12, 1939 in Yonkers.

For over 30 years, Helen worked as a Medical Assistant for Mid-Hudson Medical Group in Fishkill until her retirement. She attended Mass at St. Mary, Mother of the Church in Fishkill and St. Columba Church in Hopewell Junction and was a longtime member of the Third Order of St. Francis.

She enjoyed reading and taking family vacations to Cape Cod. More than anything else, Helen loved spending time with her family, especially her grandchildren. She cherished being part of their lives and was a tremendous source of love, strength, and encouragement.

On September 14, 1957, she married Joseph L. Hayes at Sacred Heart Church in Yonkers. After more than 61 years of marriage, she was predeceased by her loving husband on November 18, 2018.

Helen is survived by her children, Joseph L. Hayes, Jr., DO (WeiWei); Theresa Hayes; Tracey Kopchik (Steve); James Hayes (Roberta); Helen Gordon (Edward); John Hayes (Sharon); Thomas Hayes (Diane); and her grandchildren: Michael Hayes (Sara), Kira Hayes, Amanda Hayes, Angela Rigo (Josh), Jennifer Jeffer (Brandon), Katie Kopchik (Sam), Colleen León (Jesús), Robert Hayes, Matthew Hayes (Jaymi), Thomas Hayes, Edward Gordon (Shannon), Jessica Startup (Brandon), Ryan Hayes, Shannon McVeigh (Austin), Connor Hayes, Brendon Hayes (Alexandria), Griffin Hayes (Emma), Leah Schlam, and Liam Schlam; 20 great-grandchildren and those on the way; her sister, Anne Marie Tribley & her husband Edwin; her sister-in-law, Marcella Lee; as well as many nieces & nephews, along with their families; and countless other loving family members.

In addition to her husband and parents, Helen was also preceded in death by her siblings, Rosemary Casullo, James Howard, Jr., Mary Hanley, and Theresa Powlis.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be offered on at 10:00 a.m. on Tuesday, March 18th at St. Columba Church, 835 Route 82, Hopewell Junction, NY. Entombment will follow in the Community Mausoleum at Fishkill Rural Cemetery, 801 Route 9, Fishkill, NY.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to St. Joseph's Indian School, PO Box 100, Chamberlain, SD 57325 (www.stjo.org); Wounded Warrior Project, P.O. Box 758516, Topeka, Kansas 66675-8516 (www.woundedwarriorproject.org); or Friars of the Atonement, Inc., P.O. Box 300, Garrison, NY 10524 (www.atonementfriars.org).

Arrangements are under the direction of the McHoul Funeral Home of Fishkill, Inc., 1089 Main Street, Fishkill. Please visit Helen's Book of Memories at www.mchoulfuneralhome.com