WILLIAM RAY HAYS

CLASS OF 1945

SEPTEMBER 16, 1927 - SEPTEMBER 16, 1960

Funeral services for William Ray Hays were held in the First Methodist Church in Osawatomie.

Hays, a son of Walter and Violet Hays, was born Sept. 16, 1927. He grew to manhood in the Osawatomie community where he completed his rural elementary schooling in 1941. He was graduated from Osawatomie High School in 1945. Following his graduation he entered the Army and served 13 months in Honolulu in the occupational forces.

On May 28, 1949, Hays was united in marriage to JoAnne Brooks. To this union were born two children, Billy Ray Jr., 10, and Brenda Jo, 7, who were their daddy's pride and joy.

Soon after their marriage, the couple became members of the First Methodist Church in Osawatomie.

He worked as a signal foreman from 1948 up to the present time for Missouri Pacific Railroad.

The immediate surviving family includes his wife, his children and his parents. Other survivors include four brothers: Raymond A. Hays and Robert J. Hays of Osawatomie, Walter L. Hays of Pittsburg, and Charles B. Hays of Neodesha; and two sisters: Mrs. Kenneth Neuenschwander of Tulsa, Okla., and Miss Linda Hays of Pittsburg.

The Rev. W. I. Hastie of Kansas City, assisted by the Rev. A. Otis Beach, officiated at the service. Mrs. Nell Dollar played organ selections.

Serving as pallbearers were Leslie Stanley and John Shields of Paola, Laverne Diediker of Topeka, Jack Judd, Wayne Diediker, and Merle Stone of Osawatomie.

Attending to the flowers were Mrs. Helen Stanley of Paola, Mrs. Trissie Diediker, Mrs. Belva Wingfield, Mrs. Jo Ann Young of Osawatomie, and Mrs. Gloria Stone of Louisburg.

Burial was in the Osawatomie Cemetery under the direction of the Eddy Funeral Home.

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