Paul B Hayes

Paul B. Hayes passed on January 17, 2024. He was a hard worker, and he loved his family. He rose early every day. Monday through Friday, he put in his time at work, came home for dinner, watched a little bit of TV, and then off to bed - to wake up the next morning and repeat the routine. His Saturdays were full of odd jobs around the house. He liked manual labor and always found plenty of projects to keep busy. Sundays were for church - morning and evening - afternoon meals, and naps. He was - at best - a tinkerer when it came to cars. He maintained the family car - replaced brakes, rotated tires, changed oil, that sort of thing. But when his sons were adolescents and young teenagers, he spent many days with them, dreaming up great plans to restore a couple of old cars he had bought, but mainly they just ended up taking the cars apart and making a mess. Despite being the tallest of the eight boys born to Shaw and Rosebud Hayes, he was wholly un-athletic. And although he never mastered a bat, racket, glove, club, or ball, he was a great fan of sports - at least, when his sons were playing. He never missed their games. He was a quiet but thoughtful man. He had a great laugh when some slapstick comedy would coax it out of him. And although he never seemed comfortable sharing thoughts or ideas, he was always quick with dry humor. Like many men of his age, he hardly shared or expressed his emotions, but every day before he left for work, he told his wife and sons that he loved them – kissed them on their sleeping heads and whispered a quiet “I love you”. The last 20 years of his life were characterized by disease as much as anything else. First, the cancer that took his wife in 2009, and soon thereafter the dementia that slowly took him away. He quietly cared for his wife until she passed. And as dementia attacked, he quietly fought to remember and to survive. He loved his wife. He loved his sons, their wives, and his grandchildren, and no matter the gains that dementia made in its battle with him, when his mind was clear, he always had a smile or a wry look with one eyebrow raised when he would see us. He knew us, and he was happy to see us. And while we will miss him, there’s no doubt, he met mom in heaven with that eyebrow raised and a half grin, happy to see her. He was a great dad and a wonderful Pops to his grandchildren, and we are happy that he is with his bride again. Paul was preceded in death by his parents Shaw and Rosebud Hayes and by his wife, Carol. He is survived by his son David, his wife Jan, and their children, Colton and Abby and by his son Daniel, his wife Sarah, and their children, Isadora, Caroline, Parker, Hudson, and Evelynne. Paul is also survived by his brothers, Billy and his wife Jackie, Charles, Larry and his wife Donna, Geary and his wife Brenda, Maurice and his wife Trudi, Robin and his wife Diane, and Douglas and his wife Donna. I lieu of flowers, please consider a donation in Paul’s honor to the American Red Cross. ARRANGEMENTS ENTRUSTED TO AUSTIN & BELL 533 Highway 76 White House, TN 37188 (615)672-5000 www.austinandbell.com

Paul B Hayes

March 29, 1950 - January 17, 2024