Hays Patrick Hurdle

2003 - 2025

Hays Patrick Hurdle, 21, of Memphis, Tennessee, passed away on August 23, 2025.

Born on December 2, 2003, in Washington, D.C., Hays was a 2022 graduate of Memphis University School. He was known for his bright spirit, his kindness, and his ability to bring people together. In recent years he discovered a love for travel and spent three months trekking through India-a life-changing experience-and also visited Cambodia and Thailand before sailing through the waters of Turkey and Greece. These journeys were a reflection of his adventurous spirit, curiosity, and love for new experiences.

Hays loved playing the guitar, reading, spending time at the golf range, and browsing thrift stores for hidden treasures. Family meant everything to him, and he cherished every moment with his cousins, aunts and uncles, grandparents, and especially his siblings.

He had a remarkable gift for making everyone feel included. His friends often said he was the kindest person they knew-always opening his home to others, never turning anyone away, and delighting in gathering everyone together. Whether it was hosting friends, caring for his mom's many pets, or simply spending time with loved ones, Hays created an atmosphere of warmth, joy, and belonging.

Hays is survived by his parents, Megan and Jason; his siblings, Cannon and Villa; and his grandparents, Graham and Ruth Morris. He was preceded in death by his grandparents Patrick Hurdle and Lynn Claypool. He leaves behind countless friends and family members whose lives are richer because of the love and light he shared.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made in Hays's honor to the Friedreich's Ataxia Research Alliance at curefa.org/donate, in support of research that honors his beloved cousins Vivian and Genevieve.

Services to celebrate Hays's life will be held at St. Michael Catholic Church on Summer Avenue in Memphis, Tennessee, at 10:00 a.m. on Tuesday, August 26, 2024.