Individual Details

Obituary obtained from funeral home web site at address listed at the end. Hershel Henderson Hays was born in Gray Hawk, KY on October 31, 1931 to Thomas Robert and Ruby Brumback Hays. He left this world in Loveland, OH at the age of 79 on December 10, 2010. His life was surrounded and blessed with 11 loving brothers and sisters and their spouses who he was as close to as his siblings: Bessie and Ed Morris, Elbert and Zada Hays, Everdeen and Hugh Tincher, Delbert and Helen Hays, Minnis and Collis Ingram, Jack and Ruby Hays, Fred and Barbara Hays, Peggy and Paul Ingram, Sadie and David Smith, Eldon and Cindi Hays and Shirley and James Whicker. In 1956, he married and spent his remaining life in love with Okley Boggs who preceded him in death on October 3, 2009. Her family were his family as well and he cherished every one. Hershel was father to four sons; Dace Hays, Larry Rann Hays, Thomas Dale Hays and Danny Elbert Hays and he was a proud grandfather to Christy, Scott, Mike, Michael, Melissa, Tracy, Merissa and Mathew. He was blessed with 12 great grandchildren with 2 more on the way when he passed. He has more relatives, close friends and good neighbors than can be counted. An Army veteran of the Korean War, he would return from that conflict to a series of jobs that included drilling oil and water wells, a bit of factory work and for a time, whatever else he could with a third grade education. He would find his calling and life's work as a builder and was defined by that word in more ways than how he used his hands. Many of his skills were learned beside his brothers and he became talented at every task it took to construct a house from surveying the site and laying the foundation through finishing the final trim. Hershel was proud to work beside and provide jobs for a host of colleagues and built scores of businesses and homes for others with none more important than the life and love he surrounded family with. He lived to work and despite facing critical heart problems in his 40's, he rarely if ever asked of others what he wouldn't do himself. Up until his early 70's, it wasn't unusual to find him pouring and finishing concrete or replacing an entire roof in the heat of summer for a neighbor. Our remembrance of Hershel may be clouded with personal tears of love and sorrow today, but we trust God will judge him fairly for the love and faith he had in Him as well. Meanwhile, we celebrate the fact he has left behind the trials and pain he has long endured and look forward to being with him again. Funeral service was held 1:00 PM Tuesday, December 14, 2010, at Lakes Funeral Home. Burial followed in the Hays Family Cemetery in Gray Hawk. Pallbearers were Doug McAfee, Mathew, Alan & Scott Hays, William Baldwin & Nicholas Kettler. Lakes Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements. www.lakesfuneralhomemckee.com.

Birth	29 Oct 1931	Gray Hawk, Jackson Co., Kentucky
Marriage	12 Nov 1955	Campbell Co., Tennessee - Okley Boggs
Death	10 Dec 2010	Loveland, Hamilton Co., Ohio
Burial		Hays Cemetery, Gray Hawk, Jackson Co., Kentucky

Spouse	Okley Boggs (1937 - 2009)
Child	Dace Hays ( - )
Child	Larry Rann Hays ( - )
Child	Thomas Dale Hays ( - )
Child	Danny Elbert Hays ( - )

Father	Thomas R. Hays (1894 - 1947)
Mother	Ruby F. Brumback (1897 - 1973)
Sibling	Bessie Marie Hays (1916 - 1985)
Sibling	Elbert E. Hays (1917 - 1992)
Sibling	Minnes Hays (1920 - 1997)
Sibling	Everdean Hays (1922 - 2008)
Sibling	Delbert Hays (1925 - 2014)
Sibling	Jack W. D. Hays (1927 - 1992)
Sibling	Carl Frederick "Fred" Hays (1929 - 2018)
Sibling	Peggy J. Hays (1933 - 1983)
Sibling	Eldon Robert Hays (1935 - 2017)
Sibling	Sada E. Hays (1937 - 2018)
Sibling	Shirley Hays (1939 - 2012)