Thomas J. Hayes

Thomas J. Hayes, 80, of Avon, CT and Miami and Delray Beach, FL, passed away in Cherry Hill, NJ, Tuesday April 8, 2025 following a lengthy struggle with Alzheimer's Disease. Mr. Hayes was educated at The Loomis-Chaffee School, and received a B.S. from Yale University in 1966. During the Vietnam War, Mr. Hayes served as a Lieutenant 1st Class gunnery officer in the Navy (1966-1969), and following the war received an MBA from Columbia University in 1971. Mr. Hayes spent several years abroad as a Vice President at Citibank overseeing various banking and leasing operations in Caracas, Venezuela and Aruba, Netherlands Antilles. Returning to the States in 1976, he took over his family's tool and dye business in Unionville, CT before moving with his family to Florida in 1985, where his wife was the Chair of the Physical Therapy Department at the University of Miami, School of Medicine.
Mr. Hayes remained active in many varied local businesses ranging from equipment leases, telecommunications, and an organic shrimp farm as CFO. In his later years, Mr. Hayes loved travelling with his wife to bucket-list destinations, cheering on his grandchildren at soccer games, discussing politics over board games, and reading books and word puzzles.
Mr. Hayes is remembered with great love and is survived by his wife, Dr. Sherrill Howarth Hayes, daughters Tanya and Alix, son Justin, and grandsons Dylan Rose and Walter Hayes, and granddaughter Jordan Rose. He is predeceased by his parents, Robert W. Hayes and Clare M. Hayes of Avon, CT. Mr. Hayes directed his brain be donated to the Alzheimer's Disease Research Center at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mt. Sinai. Funeral services private.