John Upton Hays |
| Posted 2016-06-21 by Judy Wight Branson |
| The Daily Courier, Prescott, Arizona Tuesday, June 14, 2016, page 5a John Upton Hays, 88, of Peeples Valley, Arizona, born Feb. 14, 1928, in Prescott, Arizona, passed away June 10, 2016, in Prescott, Arizona. Arrangements by Ruffner Wakelin Funeral Home. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The Wickenburg Sun, Wickenburg, Arizona Wednesday, June 29, 2016 Former Arizona Sen. John U. Hays, a rancher, a statesman, a loving husband, father and grandfather, and a highly respected legislator, passed away peacefully surrounded by his family in Prescott on June 10, 2016. John Hays was born Feb. 14, 1928, at Mercy Hospital in Prescott and was raised on his family’s Hays Ranch, headquartered in Peeples Valley. John’s family bought adjacent ranches in 1911 and formed the Hays Ranch in 1912. Growing up on the ranch gave John a unique perspective on agriculture, history, economics, the arts and nature. John was an avid reader, which fostered his passion for traveling and for the humanities. After attending the one-room schoolhouse at the ranch, John attended Prescott High School, Brown Military Academy in San Diego, and the University of Arizona in Tucson. He graduated from the University of the Americas in Mexico City, majoring in Latin American Studies, Spanish and Portuguese and received his Master’s degree from the Thunderbird School of Global Management in Glendale. In 1967, John met his future bride, Mary Greene Sharp, the daughter of a prominent Southern Arizona ranching family, at the Yavapai Cattle Growers Annual Calf Sale and barbecue, of which John’s father, Roy, was one of the founders and hosted Calf Sale/barbecuew at the Hays Ranch in Peeples Valley. Throughout his life, John worked to better the state of Arizona and those who lived there. He was a leader in local, regional and state issues and served on many boards including: a founding member of the Yavapai County Planning and Zoning Commission, the Southwest Screwworm Eradication Board, the Triangle Natural Resource Conservation District Board, the Museum of Northern Arizona, the Orme School, the Nature Conservancy, Project CNTRL Leadership Program, the Arizona State Parks Board, the Valley Field Riding and Polo Club in Scottsdale and president of the Yavapai Cattle Growers Association. In 1974, he was elected to the Arizona House of Representatives and served for 15 years as a state legislator (House of Representatives from 1975 to 1982, the Arizona State Senate from 1983 to 1990. In the legislature, John worked tirelessly to resolve problems related to protecting agricultural and private property rights, ensuring prudent groundwater management and water conservation statewide, protecting Kartchner Caverns in Cochise County by adding it to the State Parks system; protecting rural economic development by prohibiting transfer of groundwater from rural areas. He played a major role in protecting wildlife, crops and livestock from disease, especially in rural Arizona, and worked tirelessly to stimulate rural economic development. John’s accomplishments are vast and many were near and dear to his heart. Through his vision and leadership, the classical music station KBAQ was created as part of Arizona State University, and the legal framework for Arizona’s wine industry was established. John received many accolades in his lifetime, and most recently received the Arizona Cattleman of the Year from the AZ Cattle Growers Association and the Arizona National Livestock Show’s “Pioneer Stockman of the Year” in 2015. John Hays’ kindness and intelligence were unparalleled, and he was loved by all who knew him. As Prescott native Budge Ruffner once said, “John Hays is fluent in three languages: English, Spanish and Common Sense.” John is pre-deceased by his parents, Roy and Hazel Hays; and his older sisters and brothers-in-law, Margaret Hays Rigden (Tom) and Elladean Hays Bittner (Bill). Out of all of John Hays’ accomplishments, his greatest one was his loving family. He is survived by his wife of 47 ½ years, Mary; his children John Hays Jr. (Mary), Jane Hays Surgent (Steven), and Rebecca Hays Rovey (Jason); and his seven grandchildren, Harrison, Libby and Ben Surgent, Amaya and Hazel Hays and Lily and John Henry Rovey. John is also survived by his nephews in Alaska, William Bittner (Michelle), and Charles Rigden (Gail) and nieces Cynthia Rigden of Kirkland, AnnaMary Rigden Glaab (Rigo) of Peeples Valley, Catherine Bittner Stevens (Ted, deceased) of Washington, D.C., and Judy Bittner of Alaska, and countless other family members and friends. John Hays will be greatly missed. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests contributions to The Marley House - Good Samaritan Hospice (a non-profit, 1063 Ruth Street, Prescott, AZ 86301), or to the Peeples Valley-Yarnell Historical Society (P.O. Box 966 Yarnell, AZ 85362), which is home to the 1927 one-room schoolhouse that sits on land donated by Roy Hays (John’s father). The schoolhouse was the only school for many miles in Peeples Valley and is on the National Register of Historic Places. |
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