A very special person, Colleen Hayes Ide, 56 years old, of Hockessin, DE passed away peacefully on September 6, 2023, surrounded by a loving group of family and friends. Colleen was born in October of 1966, in Wilmington, DE to Georgene and Walter “Hawk” Hayes, Jr. She happily grew up in Claymont, DE. Colleen graduated from Holy Rosary Catholic School, St. Elizabeth’s High School, and Methodist Hospital School of Nursing.
After graduating with a degree in nursing, Colleen worked for decades as an O.R. nurse at both St. Francis Hospital as well as Limestone Medical Center. Colleen’s co-workers were without a doubt her extended family. As a nurse, Colleen’s empathy was authentic. She treated all of her patients as if they were family. Colleen embodied the perfect blend of being able to give soft compassion as well as fierce advocacy.
Colleen found the love of her life, Randy Ide, and married him on March 8, 1997. Throughout the years, she was frequently heard saying, “Isn’t he SO handsome?!” Anyone who was at Colleen & Randy’s wedding knows that it was one fabulous party… in fact, it was so much fun that after the reception ended, she continued celebrating at a local bar, all the while staying in her wedding gown. A few years later, Colleen & Randy welcomed beautiful identical twin daughters, Gillian & Olivia. Colleen was beyond ecstatic when she learned that she was having twins… she spent the first half of her pregnancy in excited disbelief. Colleen always said that the day the twins were born was “the best day of my life!” Gillian and Olivia have fortunately been blessed with their mom’s most admirable traits.
Colleen was truly the life of the party! She always loved a good, hard laugh. She was like this from a young age. This outgoing & big personality didn’t always mesh with school… in one report card, her teacher noted, “Colleen acts like she is doing us a favor by coming to class.”
Colleen’s love of family & friends was just enormous. She simply loved people. She genuinely never met a stranger. Her enthusiasm for life was contagious. And her house was always, always open. Everyone who knew Colleen would agree that she simply had the hugest heart…. if you didn’t have anywhere to go for Christmas dinner, you were going to Colleen’s.
Colleen loved so many things… summers at Dewey Beach, a room full of people, her dog Teddy, listening to Patsy Cline on the kitchen radio, her newly decorated sunroom, laughing until she cried, week-long birthday celebrations, a few glasses of chardonnay, vacations at Lake Winnipesaukee, hosting holiday meals, hanging out at The Starboard, boating on the Delaware Bay, relaxing in the sandbars, reminiscing of funny childhood family stories, and being surrounded by her girlfriends.
She unintentionally taught us all simply to enjoy life.
Colleen is survived by her husband, Randy Ide and their daughters, Gillian and Olivia. She is also survived by her 3 brothers: Walter (Teresa), Kevin (Sue), and Sean (Molly). In addition, she is survived by her cousin and lifelong best friend, Robin Moyer. Colleen truly leaves behind more adoring friends than one can count. She was preceded in death by her parents Walter & Georgene Hayes as well as her favorite aunt and second mom, Eileen Doherty.
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