David Mark Hayes

David Hayes, age 79, of Long Island, New York passed away at the Stony Brook Veteran’s Home on Saturday, April 18, 2020. David was born on January 18, 1941 in Valley Stream, N.Y. He and his four siblings grew up on Martin Avenue in Bellmore, N.Y. While their father, Thomas, commuted into Manhattan working for Con Edison, David and his siblings helped their mother, Evelyn, manage and run The Bellmore Food Store, a delicatessen, on Merrick Rd.

David was a 1958 graduate of Mepham High School where he was an elite athlete who wrestled, played football, and competed in track and field. He won county and state recognition and awards in each of those sports. In 1957, David won Newsday’s Thorpe Award as the outstanding high school football player in Nassau County. He always praised his coach, Nick Sabetto, for helping him achieve this honor. As a senior in high school, David was recruited at home, in the kitchen, by Joe Paterno, then Assistant Coach of the Penn State Nittany Lions. David went on to attend Penn State from 1959 to 1963 and had an illustrious football career under the coaching of Charles “Rip” Engle. Upon graduation, David was drafted by the Baltimore Colts and the Boston Patriots. As the Vietnam War was gaining momentum, David opted to complete his military service as a member of the Marine Corps from 1963-1965, serving his time in San Diego, California where he trained troops and continued to play football within the ranks. At the time of his discharge, he had achieved the rank of First Lieutenant.

While stationed in Quantico, Virginia, David met Nancy Triska at the Officer’s Club. Nancy was also a Long Island native and graduate of Penn State. They married in 1965 and after returning to Long Island had two daughters, Kirsten and Deirdre, and a son, Joseph.

After a year as a free agent playing football for the professional teams that had recruited him in college, David began to utilize his Sales and Marketing degree working first as the General Sales Manager for the Nets and Islanders. His next position was in marketing the brand-new Hofstra University Health Dome, promoting their health and physical fitness programs. Another job with the New York telephone company afforded him the unique opportunity to meet John Lennon and Yoko Ono while making a service call to their home in The Dakota Apartments in N.Y.C.

Time moved on, and in 1983, through mutual friends, he was introduced to Jane Foster. The couple married in 1985 and in 1989, had a daughter, Katherine Evelyn, named after her beloved paternal grandmother. Soon after, David was home playing “Mr. Mom” taking care of his young daughter, and also devoting volunteer hours to a labor of love project. Along with fellow Penn State alumni and friend, Jerry Sechler, David became part of the team that created “The Friends of Long Island Wrestling.” David was considered a Charter Member and played an active part of the non-profit organization, based in Wantagh, L.I., that went on to gain recognition and respect within the wrestling community of Long Island and beyond. In the words of Jerry himself: “David created a concept of visiting with friends and alumni to develop the revenues we needed to even become an organization.”

David also played an important role in the development and success of a girls’ athletic program called The Scholastic Kickline, based also in the Nassau County area.

David’s talents went beyond his strong athletic roots. He was an avid gardener who took time and pleasure connecting with everything he planted, creating beautiful gardens that lasted all year round. He enjoyed cooking traditional pasta dishes and soups, often altering the ingredients to make them super healthy which was very important to him. David played piano by ear, like his father, and especially enjoyed jazz classics and Broadway show tunes. One could often find him driving down the street listening to the strains of John Coltrane, Thelonious Monk, or Stephen Sondheim.

David’s athleticism and devotion to good health led him to Jones Beach seven days a week where he would run at least an hour’s worth of miles, rain or shine. His run traditionally ended in the parking lot with a round of fingertip push-ups and Marine Corps drill chants.

Despite a sometimes tough demeanor, David had a soft spot for animals, and was always the first to say, “Oh, let’s keep him…” when yet another critter was brought into the household. He mourned the loss of every one of them, including, perhaps most famously, Rambo the goldfish and Cluck-Cluck the chicken, whose funerals became somber neighborhood events.

David always made an entrance into every party, get-together, family reunion, and Thanksgiving dinner, very often “fashionably late.” His trademark laugh and ear to ear smile, followed by hand-waving enthusiasm and “passion” as he told a story or voiced an opinion will always be fondly remembered.

Above all else, David loved his family. He loved being a father and took pride in all of his children, always there to applaud each and every one of them on their personal life accomplishments. He was incredibly supportive and made it to every sporting event, concert, dance recital, and graduation. When he became a grandfather, David was overjoyed with this new role and looked forward to sharing time with his three granddaughters. Birthdays, holidays, and any time together with them were times he looked forward to immensely.

David was preceded in death by his father, Thomas Hayes, Sr., his mother, Evelyn, his brother, Thomas Hayes, Jr., and his nephews, Thomas Hayes, III, and Walter Haas, Jr. He is survived by his four children, Kirsten (Chris) Fazio, Joe (Giovanna) Hayes, Deirdre Haye, and Katherine Hayes. He is also survived by his brothers, Paul Hayes and Dennis Hayes, his sister, Ruth Haas, and many nieces and nephews.

Donations in his honor may be made to The Concussion Legacy Foundation at concussionlegacyfoundation.org.

Please note - The CLF’s mission is: “to support, athletes, Veterans, and all affected by CTE; achieve smarter sports and safer athletes through education and innovation; and to end CTE through prevention and research.”