Date of death: 10/3/2010
Saint Meinrad Class: O 1955
Thomas Melvin Hayes, 81, passed away Sunday, Oct. 3, 2010, after an illness. He was a devout lifelong Catholic and a member of St. Rose of Lima Church in Cloverport, the Knights of Columbus, and was a former trustee of Saint Meinrad Seminary and School of Theology. Tom was a veteran of the Korean War, a retired banker for the Breckinridge Bank of Cloverport and Hancock Bank and Trust, and former mayor and councilman for the city of Cloverport.A native of Edmonson County, he was the eldest son of the late Thomas Millard and Ruth Ann French Hayes. He was preceded in death by a son, Thomas A. Hayes and daughter, Agnes Gertrude; two sisters, Charlene Olivastro and Ethel Justice; and two brothers, Pius James A. (Tony) Hayes and Paul Hayes.He is survived by his loving wife of 57 years, Patricia Catherine Kern Hayes; five sons, James Bernard Hayes (Pam) of Hartford, the Rev. Martin E. Hayes of Leitchfield, George Hilary Hayes of Smithfield, David L. Hayes (Helen) of Hardinsburg, and Stanley Hayes (Michelle) of New Haven; four daughters, Ruth Wiles (Ron) of North Carolina, Mary Blanton (Jeff) of New Albany, Ind., Emily McCarty (James) of Louisville, and Margaret Annunziata (Ken) of North Carolina. He is also survived by 23 grandchildren and 14 great-grandchildren; six sisters, Theresa Weyer, Angela Cullins, Lucy Cullins, Lucille Warren, Helen Reynolds, and Lois Bridges; two brothers, the Rev. Maurice and Marion P. (Pat); and several nieces and nephews.The family requests that expressions of sympathy be taken in form of donations to St. Romuald Interparochial School, 408 N. Hwy 259, Hardinsburg, KY 40143.Published in the Owensboro Messenger-Inquirer on October 5, 2010.