Benjamin Ian Hayes

1971 - 2021

Benjamin Ian Hayes

Our beloved Ben Hayes passed away peacefully at home in Sparks, NV on March 21, 2021, at age 49 years.

Ben was born the spring of 1971 in Redwood City, CA. His first home was in Montara, CA, a lovely town just south of San Francisco, where he formed a lifelong love of the beach. As a child, he moved with his family to Reno and attended Brown Elementary and Wooster High Schools, where he formed many lasting friendships. He earned baccalaureate and master's degrees from the University of Nevada, Reno (UNR), and inducted into Phi Kappa Phi.

Ben dedicated his time and talent to the Washoe County School District, serving many years as the Chief Accountability Officer. He was recently recognized by the Nevada Association of School Boards as the Nevada District-Level Administrator of the Year for his impact on student achievement. Ben was also noted for his enormous compassion for the district's children and their families. He was acutely aware of the traumatic impact of the Covid-19 epidemic on the community, considering the costly social, emotional, and physical impacts.

Kind and compassionate, Ben donated much of his time volunteering in his community. He recently helped the school district set up its first Point of Distribution Event (POD) for dispensing vaccines. He served on the Board of Directors for the Food Bank of Northern Nevada and Truckee Meadows Tomorrow (TMT), a community-based, nonprofit enhancing quality of life in the Truckee Meadows through collaboration and partnership. He volunteered for Our Lady of Wisdom and St. Thomas Aquinas parishes. He served as sponsor for the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA).

He took on more responsibilities and opportunities and never stopped learning. Ben was among a small select group of aspiring and current superintendents to be admitted into the Stanford EdLEADers program. He had an expectant vibe and was an interesting conversationalist with a take on just about any topic.

Ben and Tanja were married in 2002 in Reno, NV. They wasted no time in building their lovely family. Ben was a devoted family man who loved to vacation with his wife and kids on the California, Hawaiian, and the southern beaches of Sweden. He loved snowboarding with his family, recently spending a joy filled day on the slopes with son Liam. He delighted in watching daughter Kajsa and son Luke dance in their many performances over the past few years. He loved his friends, recently celebrating a dear friend's 50th birthday with long-time Reno friends.

Ben was a tall, gentle, and handsome man. Due to his kindness and sly humor, he was always the family favorite. His cousin Lisa would tease him with "Ben you are the original favorite." He replied with a grin, "No, you are the favorite." But everybody knew he was it. A common family expression was "Oh, I just love that Ben."

His grandparents, Arthur Hayes and Avelina Hayes McGrath, and Robert and Helen Warren, his aunt Carol Depew, niece Abby Fisher, and beloved father-in-law Tycho Sjogren preceded Ben in death. Ben and his grandma Helen shared a special lifelong bond, which began instantaneously at his birth. She sang from that hour until her recent passing, "Close to You." All who knew Ben longed to be close to him.

Ben is survived by his wife, Tanja and children Liam, Kajsa and Luke Hayes, birth father John Sykes (Jan), adoptive father Albert and his mother Virginia "Gina" Hayes. He leaves sisters SaDonna Nolasco, Nichole Yco (Newton) and Jessamyn Carino (Frankie). He leaves a large extended family of beloved aunts, uncles, nieces and nephews, cousins, his large loving Swedish and Washoe County School District families, and an abundance of friends.

A funeral mass will be celebrated by Father Chuck Durante, Rector of the St. Thomas Aquinas Cathedral at St Rose of Lima Catholic Church, 100 Bishop Manogue Drive in Reno on April 7th 2021 at 11:00. Due to COVID-19 prevention protocol, seating may be limited. The service will be available online during and after the funeral mass at StRoseReno.com.

Father Chuck, family members and close friends will lay Ben to rest in a private interment at Our Mother of Sorrows Catholic Cemetery following the mass.

An outdoor Celebration of Life will take place at Mendive Middle School, 1900 Whitewood Drive Sparks, at 2:00 pm on April 10, 2021. All are welcome. Please wear masks and maintain social distance. Stay safe.