Mercury News editor and writer Holly Hayes, who was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer in June but hardly stopped working turning out stories from home, died on Friday at age 53, the paper reported on its Web site.

“Holly died shortly after midnight — very peacefully and in her own bed, as she wished,” said her husband, Charlie McCollum, who edits Eye, the section Hayes helped inaugurate.

From her home, the 21-year Merc veteran wrote stories and marshaled reporters and photographers to put out another edition of Wish Book, the series that raises money from reader donations to help the less fortunate and social agencies. Through her efforts, it set a record for donations this year, $450,000. (Photo credit: Charlie McCollum via Merc.)