Jane Ann Hayman

Jane Hayman, 88, of Fort Collins Colorado, died of natural causes on February 16, 2024.

Zesty. Lively. Passionate. Words that describe this granddaughter of New Mexico frontier homesteaders. Jane Ann Snell was born February 15, 1936, in Clovis, New Mexico to Bertha Ann (Martin) and Bub Marion Snell. An extended family ranch and farming community were formative to her nature and outlook; crowned 'Cattle Festival Queen' in 1947, a New Mexico state delegate to the national 4H Congress in Chicago in 1952, Queen of her county FFA, and, not surprisingly, President of the 1953 Clovis High School Girls Debating club.

She attended Colorado University in Boulder with an aim to study fine art, history and business and her marriage in 1955 to Bob Hayman profoundly influenced the next season of her life. She raised three daughters while tending to her husband's career in civil engineering; the family briefly lived in Salvador, Brazil while on assignment with US AID; then back to university life in both Boulder and Fort Collins.

A bright, social, and engaged individual, she at times struggled with the focused confines of running a home, raising children, and the dependencies of what was a very traditional marriage in the 1950s and 60s. While nurturing her family she fed her creative and entrepreneurial spirit with three business ventures: Hayman's Navajo Rugs and Indian Jewelry, The Storytellers, and Stow-It Self Storage. She cherished her many friends, travel, and was a voracious reader and life-long learner.

She is survived by all three of her daughters and their families: Debora Hayman of Fort Collins, Colorado; Laura Neuman and spouse Larry Neuman of Loomis, California; Carla Wheeler and spouse Bobby Wheeler of Argyle, Texas. Six grandchildren: Katie, Rae, Chandler, Phoebe, Georgia and Wyatt. And four great grandchildren: Amelia, Will, Lola, and Indi. She is predeceased by brother Dick Snell of Clovis, New Mexico and sister Sue Fulcher of Portales, New Mexico.

The family gives special thanks to Juanita Hill, an angel on our mother's shoulder and a dear friend for over 30 years; Brad Newlands, her right-hand man at Stow It who always called her "Boss"; the Hospice and Palliative staff at Pathways of Northern Colorado; and many friends and family at the Winslow Independent Living facility in Fort Collins.

A celebration of Jane's life will be held Saturday, March 9 at Collindale Golf Course clubhouse, 11:30 am.