Malcolm F. "Rick" Hayles II

Malcolm F. Hayles II (Rick) passed away on September 4, 2025 at the age of 74. Rick was born on April 5, 1951 to his parents, Malcolm (Mac) and Louise Hayles, whom he loved dearly.

Rick is survived by his loving wife, Helen, and his son, Eric, who brought him great pride. He will always be remembered by his two grandchildren, Maddox and Kaylynn Hayles, and daughter-in-law, Angela. Rick will forever be loved and cherished by his sister, Joan Smith, niece Sara (Brian) Calhoun, nephew Ty (Jen) Smith, and numerous great nephews and nieces all of whom he loved very much.

Rick was born in Monroeville, AL and moved to Fort Walton Beach, FL shortly after turning a year old. It was at a young age he developed a passion for the outdoors that more than likely stemmed from his father, Mac, including him in every outdoor activity. Whether it was training and maintaining their kennel of bird dogs, participating in a fall dove shoot, or catching fish, Mac aways had Rick with him. This tradition of father-son bond continued as Rick shared his love for the outdoors with his own son. Throughout his childhood and early adulthood, Rick honed his hunting and fishing skills to the point of actually being able to make a career of them. Throughout his professional career, he operated in every sector of the fishing industry. He also guided and managed bird dog kennels for multiple places across Alabama and Mississippi. One of the earliest positions he held as a professional fisherman was serving as a deck hand for Capt. Tommy Browning aboard the Finest Kind. Rick formed many lifelong bonds throughout his career but the one between Capt. Tommy and Rick was perhaps the one he cherished most of all and the entire Browning family always held a special part in Rick's heart. After his time in the Gulf with Tommy was over, it did not matter if he were working in the private, charter, or commercial sector, he was always considered an upper tier captain who operated decades ahead of the curve and was arguably one of the best. Upon retiring from fishing, his life came full circle as he went back to training bird dogs at a recreational level with his good friend, Bill Sanders. It was a beautiful ending to a great run about which most men could only dream.

Rick loved the Lord and enjoyed discussing the Bible. He had a passion to know God's Word and to understand how to accurately interpret it. He also valued his friends and made a dedicated effort to check on them, particularly when they were experiencing any difficulties.

There are no words that can express how grateful we are to the community for being so supportive through our time of loss. There will be a service held at a later date when the entire family can attend.