Fay E. Himes

Fort Collins, Colorado — Fay E. Himes (nee Burmeister), 84, of Ft. Collins, Colorado, passed away peacefully on Monday, July 18th, after a struggle of some months with cancer. Family members were with her throughout her illness.

Fay was born on a farm in 1932 in Howard County, Iowa, during a snow-storm. She was the youngest of 10 children born to Otto and Elizabeth Burmeister. She was the first in her family to graduate from high school, going on to become a Doctor of Chiropractic, having studied at Palmer College in Davenport, Iowa.

Fay was an active member of the Baha'i Faith until her death. She was encouraged to investigate the religion by her father while living in Rochester, Minnesota in the early 1960s, after her father retired from farming. She joined the Baha'i Faith in 1963. Her services to the Christian community
she was raised in ran deep and her devotion to a spiritual path was unwavering. Both she and her older sister Henrietta served as "workers" (ministers) in the community, Fay having served for 7 years, a period of her life that she spoke of with much joy and reverence.

As a young child of 3, she began playing an organ by ear, and was soon able to accompany family hymns on a piano. At age 7, her father purchased an upright piano at a farm auction, an inheritance that remains in her family.

Fay married Daniel H. Himes on December 26, 1965 in the Baha'i House of Worship in Wilmette, Illinois. In 1970 they moved to the country of Papua New Guinea with their two young children, Shamin (age 4) and Darius (age 4 months). Fay set up a chiropractic office, Dan worked for a nascent computer company, and they both served the fledgling Baha'i community, returning to Iowa in the mid-70s.

She was talented in the healing arts, serving the communities where she lived through chiropractic, nutrition, and foot reflexology. In addition to playing piano and Scrabble, Fay enjoyed spending time raising her three children, watching comedies, and working at Trader Joe's with the public in her later years.

Survivors include her husband of 50 years, Dan Himes, one sister, Wilma Grover, of Phoenix, AZ; daughter, Shamin and John McClary and their two children Gabriella and Madeline of Tempe, AZ; son Darius Himes of New York, NY; son David and Melissa Himes and their three children Tyler, Nylah and Nuri of Fort Collins, CO. She was preceded in death by 6 brothers and 2 sisters.