HAYS, Richard D.

The Daily Miner, Kingman, AZ - Published on January 27, 2012 - Richard D. Hays, 81, died Tuesday, Jan. 24, 2012, at Mercy Medical Center North Iowa, Mason City, from complications of lung disease. A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m., today at First Congregational United Church of Christ, 100 First Street N.E., Mason City, with Reverend Patti Aurand officiating. Inurnment will be held at a later date in Memorial Park Cemetery, Mason City. The family greeted friends from 5 until 7 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 26, at the First Congregational United Church of Christ and visitation lasted one hour. Memorials may be given to the NIACC Foundation scholarship fund, or First Congregational United Church of Christ, in Richard's memory. He was born May 26, 1930, to Dale and Adele Hays in Des Moines, Iowa. In 1936, the family moved to Mason City. Richard grew up working on cars at Hart Motors and in his father's shop, Dale's Service. They worked so closely people often called Richard "Dale." He graduated from Mason City High School in 1948. In 1950, Rich joined the Air Force and was stationed in Japan for two years. After the service, he attended Mason City Junior College. He obtained his BA from Iowa State University in industrial technology. He married Sharon McDonough on April 28, 1958. He started the Automotive Technology program at Mason City Junior College, then NIACC, and taught there for 30 years, retiring in 1993. Rich loved to go to northern Minnesota fishing and did so every year. He started building an all-wood P-51 Mustang, but plans were interrupted when he accompanied his wife to Australia. While there he was proud to be chosen as a volunteer at the Great Barrier Reef Aquarium in Townsville. Rich had an innate and unusual mechanical ability and fixed everything from cars to boats, giving most things a second and third life. Richard was an avid reader and kept up on world news by reading papers from places he had lived. A motorcycle accident in 2001 resulted in him being on oxygen the rest of his years. Rich was a member of the First Congregational United Church of Christ Mason City. He and his wife lived in Kingman for five years and continued spending winters there after her retirement. He is survived by his wife, Sharon; their two children, Denise (Donnie) Hingeveld of Spring Valley, Minn.; and Shana (Jerry) Jeffrey of Rockwell, Iowa. He had seven grandchildren, Cheyenne (Grant) Petersen, Kendra Newton, Siera Jeffrey, Kelli Jeffrey, Ben Jeffrey, April Jeffrey and Tom Kramer; two great-grandchildren, Gage and Grady Petersen; two sisters, Janet Hays and Amy (James) Mammen; one brother, Steve (Pam) Hays, 16 nieces and nephews; an aunt, Alice Pfander; and many great nieces/nephews. He was preceded in death by his son, Dale Kendall; his brother, Dave; his sister Sandra (John) Lindsay; and his parents. Arrangements are being handled by Hogan-Bremer-Moore Colonial Chapel, 126 Third St. N.E., Mason City, IA 50401.