Carmella L. Thyfault

Carmella L. Thyfault, 92, Hays, died Sunday, June 8, 2025, at Harry Hynes Hospice Center in Wichita.

She was born on December 19, 1932, in Hoxie, Kansas, the daughter of Fremond and Lucilla (DesMarteau) Comeau.

Carmella attended school in Damar and Fort Hays State University and worked at USD 269 as a special education teacher. On June 12, 1950, she was united in marriage to Mose E. Thyfault, and he preceded her in death on September 5, 1996. They had seven children.

Her Catholic faith was the most important aspect of her life, and she was actively involved at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Damar, serving as a member of the St. Ann Sodality and a parish organist for 55 years, beginning at the age of 10. In Hays, she was a member of St. Nicholas of Myra Catholic Church, the Daughters of Isabella, the Jesus through Mary Prayer Group, the St. Nicholas of Myra Ladies Guild, the Legion of Mary, the Associates of the Sisters of St. Agnes, and a Perpetual Adoration adorer, serving on the Mary Elizabeth Home Auxiliary. She was a member of the FHSU Tiger Club. She loved watching sports of all kinds, including her brother’s, children’s, and grandchildren’s sporting events, as well as Fort Hays football, basketball, and volleyball games and televised KU basketball, K-State football, Royals baseball, and Chiefs football.

She is survived by her seven children: Jacqlyn Smith (Pat) of Greenville, S.C., Sharon Witzell (Ken) of Wichita, Paula Thyfault-Laubacker (Mark) of St. Augustine, Fla., Roger Thyfault of Fountain Hills, Ariz., Sonja Borel (Steve) of Jarreau, La., Galen Thyfault (Debbie Blevins) of Junction City, and Jody Thyfault of Apache Junction, Ariz.; 23 grandchildren; 43 great-grandchildren; three brothers, Paul Comeau (Lynn), Bernard Comeau (Peggy), and Jerry Comeau (Mary); and a sister-in-law, Margie Comeau. 

She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, Mose, and a brother, Robert Comeau.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Tuesday, June 17, 2025, at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Damar, with Fr. Brian Lager officiating. Burial will follow in the church cemetery. Visitation will be from 5:00 p.m. until 7:00 on Monday at Hays Memorial Chapel Funeral Home at 1906 Pine Street in Hays and from 9:00 a.m. until service time on Tuesday at the church in Damar. Recitation of the Rosary will be at 6:00 p.m. on Monday at the funeral home.

Memorial donations are suggested to St. Joseph Catholic Church in Damar or to the FHSU Foundation for Tiger Athletics. Condolences and memories of Carmella may be shared with her family at www.haysmemorial.com