Hylagene (Haney) Hart

Hylagene (Haney) Hart passed away January 28, 2022, aged 86, after a brief illness. Hyla was a beloved mother, grandmother and great-grandmother whose depth of interest in the world and sincere love and empathy for others were seemingly boundless.

Born in Healdton, Oklahoma, on February 17, 1935, to Frank Demarcus Haney and Anna Gravitt Haney, Hyla excelled at music, drama and journalism at Healdton High School. She married Neal Hart in 1953, and together they had four children, Stephen, Michael, Gail and Timothy.

After living briefly in San Diego, where Neal served in the U.S. Navy, the couple moved to Wichita in 1955. Hyla was heavily involved in the life and work of Woodridge Christian Church (formerly University Christian Church), teaching Sunday School, helping with Vacation Bible School and Christmas pageants and singing in the choir. She was a constant in the lives of her children, her grandchildren and their friends, serving as a Girl Scout leader and Cub Scout den mother and organizing countless games, outings, activities and craft projects.

When her youngest entered elementary school in the early 1970s, Hyla landed a job with USD 259 as a Parent Involvement Worker, a career she held for more than 40 years until her retirement.

Following Neal’s death in 2001, Hyla more fully pursued her love of travel, participating in several tours of Europe and traveling extensively in the United States. She was an avid genealogy enthusiast, maintaining detailed records and establishing contact with long-lost relatives across the United States. She was a frequent attendee of local choir and instrumental concerts and loved to dance, a pastime she regularly enjoyed with her close friend Ed Jaax during the last decade of her life.

One of her favorite things was the family’s annual summer vacation gathering at Lake Murray State Park near her hometown, a tradition that the family will be upholding this June for the 19th successive year.

Hyla is survived by her children Stephen Hart (Wilma); Michael Hart (Pam); Gail Wadsworth (John); Timothy Hart (Lainie); her close friend Ed Jaax; her grandchildren Melissa Graham (Justin); Traci Hart; Tyler Hart; Valerie Wadsworth; and Kim Woodbridge (Maverick); and five great-grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Neal Hart; her parents, Frank and Anna Haney; and her brothers Donald Jones and Lahman Jones.

A funeral service for Hylagene will be held Monday, February 7, 2022 from 11:00 AM to 12:00 PM at Woodridge Christian Church, 12111 E 13th St N, Wichita, KS 67206.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.MyLakeviewFuneralHome.com for the Hart family.