Thomas Hayes

Professor Hayes was one of the finest teachers I ever had. He was a wonderful man and when I am at work, one of my passwords asks-- who was your favorite teacher? And I proudly write 'TomHayes.' We used to chat, we even grabbed a bite to eat after graduation, always willing to give great advice and guidance when I felt very lost. A wonderful outlook on things. I will always remember him with a hot cup of coffee, teaching great writers like Flannery O'connor and sharing practical and useful...

Tom was my favorite teacher. He taught me that a MR. was just as influential as a DR. I shared many a cigarette with him outside the O'Malley center in the late 90s. The number 1 thing I remember from him is the importance of taking mental health days. At least once a semester he'd cancel classes and go ride his bike.

I was saddened to see the obituary on my old friend Tom. He was my first great love out of college. As is the way, we eventually went our separate ways and after about 40 years I reconnected with him via emails and a few visits, He was a dedicated biker and on one visit he brought me a beauty of a bike, I did, due to his influence, also become an avid biker. He was a learned man with a sardonic wit, a dedication to teaching , and an adoring father. His daughters were the center of his...

It's impossible to put into words how meaningful Tom's impact on my life has been. I took his section of Introduction to British Literature in 2005 on the recommendation of one of his colleagues, Chris Roark. He opened my eyes to a whole world I didn´t even know existed and taught me that reading books could be such a pleasure, even dangerously fun. He helped me navigate some red tape issues I was having at school and was the first adult I met who made me feel like an equal. That respect...

Your father/grandfather was a grand teacher and I loved each class I took from him. When I started to teach at JCU, Tom was always there to answer my questions. I thought of him as a friend. He loved talking about all of you. Nancy

From 1973 to 1976 I attended Kent State University after completing a six-year stint in the U. S. Navy (Vietnam time period). My wife and I lived in Bedford where Tom operated a laundromat. Let me tell you that there was some crazy discussions on English Literature emanating from that location and the bar across the street where we would retire for a cold bear. My wife (Patty) and I had the pleasure of having dinner at his home in Chardon (maybe) and met the girls. I hope his life has been...

Mr. Hayes, as us students called him, was a cool dude, inspiring teacher and understanding advisor. He was my English advisor and teacher when I was an undergrad. And he gave me some good life advice on more than one occasion during my four years at JCU. He would regularly be seen lunching in the cafeteria with the visiting prof from South Africa (those two were much alike), and always quick to say hello with a friendly smile and invite you to sit down for minute. In many ways he was my dad...

We are saddened to learn of your loss. It sounds like Tom was the kind of person who was always willing to help anyone with their bike, or to give them one if they needed one. So we are especially grateful for your choice to direct donations in his memory to the Ohio City Bicycle Co-op. In the spirit of his generosity with his mechanical skills, we plan to designate all donations in his memory to our Pay What You Can program, to help folks who need bike repairs (or a bike) they can't...

I met your dad at John Carroll when I was a young teacher starting my professional career. I enjoyed every talk I had with him; his wry, witty comments and his sense of humor made my days better. I wish you joy in the memories of him. My deepest condolences.