Danielle “Deeder” Dellerson Hayes, 37, died on June 22, 2017. She was born in Hollywood, Fla., on Dec. 26, 1979, to parents Dr. Richard and Wendy Dellerson and big sister Lara. Danielle graduated from Pine Crest School in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., in 1998. She then attended the University of California at Santa Barbara, but transferred to the University of Montana her sophomore year and graduated with a broadcast journalism degree. Danielle was a reporter, producer and anchor for the local NBC affiliate in Missoula from 2002 to 2005. She then went on to a sales job with Big Sky Brewing, which took her to Seattle with her sister, Lara, where they shared a few very special years as single gals in the city.
In 2007, she started law school back at the University of Montana. She completed her law degree and started an internship at the Senate Finance Committee, working with her career and life mentor, Russ Sullivan.
Eventually, in 2013, she followed Russ to McGuireWoods Consulting where she was a federal tax policy consultant for the timber industry.
She married Colonel James E. Hayes III, USA, on April 15, 2015, in Alexandria, where they resided. Danielle loved being a wife, stepmother to Emma Hayes and Stacy McMarlin-Hayes, and attending Hayes family gatherings in Connecticut.
Danielle especially loved Montana and the time spent there with family and friends over the years. She enjoyed skiing at Big Mountain and swimming in Flathead and Whitefish lakes. As children, Danielle and Lara spent countless hours on the shores of Flathead Lake at their family home. It is this location where Danielle is now resting eternally.
There is a pilgrimage that occurs in Whitefish each year of Danielle and Lara’s closest friends, which was one of Danielle’s favorite times of the year. “Girls Gone Whitefish” ... who later morphed into the “Band of Broads” … are the women closest to Danielle who provided endless laughs and support through her battle with cancer.
Danielle was diagnosed with cholangiocarcinoma, or bile duct cancer, in early November 2016. She fought an arduous battle right up until the end. She was able to spend her last few weeks looking at Flathead Lake with her family, and close friends by her side. Danielle died June 22, 2017.
Danielle is survived by her husband, Colonel James E. Hayes III, USA, of Alexandria; her stepchildren, Emma and Stacy Hayes; her parents, Dr. Richard Dellerson of Fort Lauderdale and Wendy Dellerson of Bigfork; sister Lara Dellerson Whorley, brother-in-law Todd Whorley of Bellevue, Wash., nieces Shelby and Ava Whorley, and nephew Patterson Whorley; and godmother Dr. Shirley Moye of Fort Lauderdale.
In honor of Danielle, and the research she believed in, a website has been set up for donations to Cycle for Survival: http://mskcc.convio.net/goto/DanielleDellersonHayes.
Danielle raised over $100,000 towards cholangiocarcinoma research in her fight to win this battle. All donations made in Danielle’s name will go directly to research for this rare cancer at Memorial Sloan Kettering cancer institute in New York City.
Danielle was a gifted writer and wrote a blog, “Danielle’s Big Adventure,” about her battle with cancer at https://danielle-hayes.com.
A celebration of Danielle’s life was held on Saturday, Sept. 9, at The Union Station Columbus Club, Washington, D.C.