Mary Ann Jergens Hays ’54 MAB

BY SUSAN MATTEI, DIRECTOR OF ADVANCEMENT

When Mary Ann Jergens Hays ’54 MAB first stepped foot on the School’s Northampton campus, she was a junior arriving for just two years. And, like so many young women who came before her, she was filled with a sense of adventure. Having traveled by herself from her home in Southern California, she had left her father, stepmother, and much-younger sister and brother behind. Her older brother was a year ahead of her and a school friend of her future husband.

Mary Ann’s parents valued education and were involved at her father’s alma mater, Harvard-Westlake School in North Hollywood, CA. “When my parents suggested boarding school, I was all for it,” she said. “I liked the idea of traveling across the country to school on the East Coast; it was exciting.” When the time came for college applications, Mary Ann chose Smith over Wellesley and Mount Holyoke. She joked about making the decision because she could easily carry her suitcase across the street.

Mary Ann married Thomas Chandler Hays and they raised four children. Over and above the many years she devoted to her family as a mother and homemaker, Mary Ann pursued lifelong education and interests in science, medicine, and art. “Although not leading to a degree, this prepared me for many satisfying years in the volunteer workforce,” she said. “I also spent the last 15 years before retirement feeling what it is like to actually get paid for my efforts — with a salaried position in retail administration for a small company in Darien, CT.”

Throughout their years together, Mary Ann and her husband enjoyed extensive travel. She continues to travel frequently between her “home base” in Cincinnati, OH, and Southern California. Cincinnati was also home to the Andrew Jergens Company, founded in 1882 by her grandfather. The brand’s popular Jergens Lotion, known for its cherry-almond fragrance, has remained popular for over 120 years.

Having been sidelined by the pandemic and a recent illness, Mary Ann now has plans for trips to the East Coast and Japan. Stoneleigh-Burnham looks forward to welcoming her to campus soon.

Since losing her husband in 2016, Mary Ann has continued his decades-long philanthropic work. She was a lead donor in Stoneleigh-Burnham School’s Geissler Gallery renovation project completed in 2021. When asked to take part in the Speak Up for Stoneleigh-Burnham Campaign, she enthusiastically agreed to support the effort. The campaign is funding new student-focused programs and will help ensure financial sustainability amid rising educational costs. Mary Ann has generously stepped forward to help her alma mater continue its tradition of girls’ education.