John Dennis Hayes SR (“Jack”), Son of Edward and Anne Hayes, was born on June 7th, 1934, in Rocky Hill, Connecticut, and passed on September 12th, 2022, surrounded by his loving wife, of 21 years, Lesley Hayes and family. Predeceased by his first wife, Janice Mae Briggs Hayes (May 22nd 1991), mother of their four children, John Jr (Jay), Mark, Darcy, Melissa. Stepfather to Brock and Lindsay Leighton. Brother to Ed Jr, Tom (deceased), Maryanne, Patricia (deceased) Rose Marie, Michael, and Julie Anne. John leaves behind his nine grandchildren, Lauren, Ainsley, Regan, Brady, Kyle, Brandon, Preston, Chloe, Cole and his four great grandchildren, Sloan, Estée, Blake and Eva.
John’s love of farming led him to pursue a degree in Animal Husbandry at the University of Connecticut. In 1964 at the age of 30 he was awarded the Outstanding Young Farmer for the State of Connecticut. He then transitioned into a bus and RV businessman before focusing his passion on horses, especially the Arabian breed. John lived out the last few decades of his life in sunny Scottsdale, Arizona, enjoying the fruits of his labor and his family. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to St Jude’s Children’s Hospital, Impact the lives of St. Jude kids – St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital (stjude.org) or Hospice of the Valley, Hospice of the Valley Arizona (hov.org) St. Vincent De Paul SVDP USA – Providing Assistance to Those in Need for Over 175 Years (ssvpusa.org) or a charity of your choice.