John M. Hayes

Hayes, John M. In nine decades, John M. Hayes survived the Great Depression, World War II, a lightning strike, and a bicycle accident. So he responded to a cancer diagnosis at 90 the way he would any challenge - with determination, integrity and the grit of a U.S. Marine. On October 24, 2009, at home with his family, Mr. Hayes lost his battle with cancer. He was 91. Born in Minneapolis in 1918, Mr. Hayes graduated DeLaSalle High School and received his Masters in Social Work from the University of Minnesota. As a first lieutenant in the Marine Air Corps, based in Ewa, Hawaii, he flew VMR-953, RSC transport aircraft in the South Pacific during World War II. He married the former Ardis Reding in 1948. They had seven children: Anne, Michael, Patrick, Barbara, Maura, Peter and Sheila; eight grandchildren and four great-grandchildren. He enjoyed a long career in social work in Minneapolis, Washington, DC and Ann Arbor MI, where he founded the state's first "SAFE" house for victims of domestic violence. Mr. and Mrs. Hayes retired to Georgetown, DE in 1984. An avid reader, bicyclist and beekeeper, Mr. Hayes volunteered there at the Howard T. Ennis School for children with special needs. On March 31, 2010, Mr. Hayes will be interred, with full military honors, at Arlington National Cemetery.