John J. Hayes, 89, died Jan. 30, 2016
John J. Hayes passed away Jan. 30, 2016, at age 89. He had a full life. This is not meant to be a sorrowful time but the story to celebrate a life fulfilled.
He was born in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, the only child of Christine and Frank Hayes, on April 4, 1926. His parents and he moved to Kansas City, Missouri, where he was reared.
Immediately following graduation from Westport High School in 1943, he joined the U.S. Navy and was trained as a hospital corpsman and assigned to the 1st Marine Division of the Fleet Marine Force. Although he was as a sailor, he always considered himself to be a Marine since he spent most of his military time wearing the Marine Green. He made the invasion of the islands of Peleliu, Okinawa, and was a member of the occupying forces in North China after the war. He received a Bronze Star Medal for Valor, a Purple Heart Medal for the Peleliu Campaign and a second Bronze Star Medal for Valor and meritorious promotion for his action during the Okinawa Campaign. He spent a total of 30 months in the Pacific Theater of war.
He returned home, and after several months, he joined the U.S. Coast Guard and was assigned to Puerto Rico. After returning home again after a year, he married Miss Betty Smith, the mother of his seven children, and then completed his enlistment in Puerto Rico.
After his discharge, he worked for the U.S. Public Health Service and then enrolled at the University of Missouri, graduating in 1953. He was accepted to graduate school at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, Missouri, and graduated with a master’s degree in hospital administration in 1956. He became a fellow in the American College of Hospital Administrations in 1966.
His career of operating hospitals spanned 38 years, concluding in 1992 in Port Lavaca, Texas. During his career, he served as director of medical services of the territory of Guam in 1963 and 1964 under the late Gov. Bill Daniel, the first civilian governor of the territory. Later, he was employed by Children’s Medical Relief International from 1969-1970 and opened the National Plastic Surgery Hospital for Vietnamese Children in Saigon, Vietnam. He received the Health Medal from the Republic of Vietnam. He also served as administrator at several Texas hospitals, including St. Mary’s Infirmary in Galveston, Hedgecroft Hospital in Houston, Matagorda County Memorial Hospital in Bay City, Sheppard Memorial Hospital in Burnet and Memorial Medical Center in Port Lavaca. While administrator of the Shepperd Memorial Hospital, he wrote the grant and received $150,000 to establish the hospice, which now operates out of the Seton Highland Lakes Hospital in Burnet.
He is survived by his seven children, John and wife Maureen Hayes, Dan Hayes, Joe Hayes, Kathy Wagner, Janice Smith and husband David, Margaret Hayes and Nancy Hayes; seven grandchildren; six great-grandchildren; and his beloved wife of 41 years, Mildred Pesek Hayes. Mildred is the daughter of Charlie and Anna Pesek (both deceased) of Shiner.
A service was Feb. 2 at St. Cyril and Methodius Catholic Church in Shiner with interment in Shiner Catholic Cemetery.
Pallbearers were grandsons Eric, Matthew and Jared Smith, Michael Wagner, Dr. Nick Pomonis, Mr. Joe Crow and Chad Crow.
Please, no flowers. Memorials may be sent to Little Sisters of the Poor, 8745 James A. Reed Road, Kansas City, MO 64138-9958; or at www.littlesistersofthepoor.org.
Arrangements by Clements-Wilcox Funeral Home, 1805 U.S. 281 North in Marble Falls, (830) 693-4373. Go to clementswilcoxfuneralhome.com.