PORTLAND – Hilary Anne Hayes passed into the white light on May 24, 2022 at her home in Portland. Born in New York City, N.Y. on July 29, 1948, she was raised in New Jersey and Maine. Hilary was the eldest child of Howland Hayes and Patricia Webster Hayes.

She graduated from the Kent School, Connecticut and Bradford Junior College before studying art history at Boston University.

She lived in Yarmouth, South Freeport, and Portland. An elegant, graceful woman, Hilary was a horticulturalist, lover of wild things, and above all, loved being a mom. She joined her friends’ gardening company and later ran her own gardening and floral design business; clients included hotels in Freeport and then-Governor Angus King.

She was a spiritual person and an active member of her church, Unity Center for Spiritual Growth, where she tended the plants and was a prayer chaplain.

Hilary is survived by many friends and family who miss her warm, thoughtful, accepting spirit, including her daughter, Madeline Yale Preston, son-in-law, Craig Preston; twin grandchildren Angus and Otavia of London and Boothbay Harbor; former husband, Tom Yale of Boothbay Harbor; brother, Howland Webster Hayes of Honolulu, Hawaii; sisters Melissa Hayes English of Rock Hill, N.C. and Eugenie Hayes Knowles of Arrowsic, and half-sister, Kimberly Hayes of Chicago, Ill.

A service will be held for Hilary at Unity, 54 River Rd., Windham, ME 04062 on Tuesday, July 26 at 11 a.m.

Hall’s of Boothbay has care of the arrangements. To extend online condolences, please visit hallfuneralhomes.com

In lieu of flowers, please send donations in Hilary’s name to the

Animal Refuge League of Greater Portland

P.O. Box 336,

Westbrook, ME 04098

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