Hayes King

If anyone ever truly cared for other people in the world, it would have to be Hayes King. He was a warmhearted and well-liked individual. These wonderful traits came easily to him, perhaps because he was such a sociable and amiable person. He tried to do his best to make certain that those around him had whatever they needed. Hayes was a talkative person who typically said what he meant, but he was tactful at all times. Overall, others felt that Hayes was someone who cared deeply for others. He was the person others could go to when they needed consoling.

He was born on June 20, 1919. He first greeted the world in Dawnville, Georgia. His parents were Samuel A. and Zula E. King. During his childhood, he learned to be reliable and respectful. He was an obedient child who wanted to win the favor of others. He found it easy to show sympathy and to perform kind acts for others. These admirable qualities would become a part of Hayes's personality throughout his life.

Though Hayes was frequently the one to initiate games and activities with his family, he was also quite often the family member who took the role of referee. He was a peacemaker who would frequently work to keep those usual family quarrels at bay. But even though Hayes and his family had the typical conflicts and squabbles, they all cared deeply for one another. He was raised with four siblings. Hayes had three brothers, Milton, Clifton, and S.A., and one sister, Annie Katherine Haston.

As someone who reveled in the sheer joy of his experiences, Hayes was always enthusiastic about new adventures. One thing he will certainly be remembered for is that when he got up in the mornings, he always hit the floor running, ready and raring to go. As a young boy, Hayes had a number of interests and was an active child. He enjoyed playing sports, especially basketball. There were a number of hobbies that Hayes had while growing up, some of which included Tinker and Garden. Playing games were always one of his favorite pastimes.

Hayes could talk to anybody about anything.

Hayes would sometimes talk about where he grew up and some of the things he did as a child. Hayes also enjoyed a few trips away from home while growing up.

For Hayes, school routines were never a problem although he generally preferred variety to structure. He was able to start a project and work right through to completion and he was able to do it quickly and efficiently. He was also quite adept at managing details, due to being observant and quick at picking up on new things. He graduated from Dalton High School in 1939.

For Hayes, the high school years were not just about school. There were many other fun and exciting things to do and experience. A lot of that centered around his friends. Being so outgoing and talkative, Hayes was able to make many friends during high school.

Some of his high school relationships went beyond just friendship and turned a bit more romantic.

Learning about responsibility was not a hard lesson for Hayes. He was naturally conscientious, so taking on new responsibilities was not difficult for him. Being a hard worker also came naturally to Hayes.

Being such an outgoing person, Hayes enjoyed getting away to travel, to see new places and meet new people.

Hayes was a faithful and loving person. Some would even call him sentimental and a romantic at heart. His kindness and consideration radiated an aura of warmth to those around him. He cared what others thought and carried that into his relationship with Dardernella Chasteel "Pat" Yarberry.

Compassionate and devoted, Hayes worked hard to make his new life partner happy. Despite the fact that, like most young couples, they lived rather modestly, Hayes did his best to make it a happy home.

This same knack for harmony included sharing old friends and making new ones.

Hayes was the kind of person who would readily move into action in order to help others. He was appreciated and respected, and he could find value in the opinions of others while being passionate about his own values and beliefs. So it is little wonder that he was active and highly valued by those in his community. His keen interest in things that affected the lives of other people led Hayes to become actively involved in professional and community organizations. Because he was outgoing and worked well with others, Hayes did his fair share of volunteer work. And he wouldn’t shy away from taking the lead on committees or events, either. He was a born list-maker and was great at creating and sticking to schedules.

Harmony was important to Hayes and he made every effort to maintain it with his family. Hayes had three children, Carroll H., Charlotte E., and Vickey R. The children would often fill his heart with pride with some of the things they accomplished.

It was part of Hayes’s nurturing and fostering nature to make sure that the children were raised in safe environment.

He tried his best to teach about responsibilities and the rewards that can go along with it. He tried to maintain this learning and encouragement when the family took trips and vacations. Later in life, he was blessed with eight grandchildren, Ron, Cheryl, David, Christen, Courtney, Christopher, Caitlin, and Shaylin. He was always conscious of the feelings possessed by others around him. He was reasonable and understanding. As a result, Hayes was quick to solve disputes and did so without much fuss. His secret of success in this area was simple: he would listen before he would act.

Taking his work seriously came naturally to Hayes. He expected the same commitment and effort from those around him. Hayes was a great team player, someone who cooperated well with others. He was what some would call a “people person,” something which was best demonstrated in his good communication skills. Hayes was a steady worker, one who was realistic about schedules. The kind of details that would give family members and work colleagues fits were situations that Hayes handled well. He could understand the details without getting lost in the "big picture.”

These abilities and this attitude seemed to come naturally for Hayes. They were things he did even during his first jobs. His primary occupation was working as an automobile mechanic for 67 years (self employ auto mechanic).

He brought harmony to his work environment, doing what was necessary in order to get the job done, while always maintaining respect for his colleagues.

Like in other aspects of his life, Hayes’s outgoing personality led him to make a number of friends at work.

Blessed with a practical nature, Hayes was a person who appreciated the routine of the military. He was a man who took his obligations seriously, working well with the others in his unit. Hayes enlisted in the Marines. He was in the 1st Marine Division, VMF 121, World War II, Guadalcanal and Pacific. Hayes achieved the final rank of Master Sergeant.

A methodical man, Hayes enjoyed spending time working on his various hobbies. He had no problem following all of the steps and instructions on a given project and was proud of the fact that he could have something to show for his efforts. He developed a number of interests throughout his life, including Gardening.

Many things brightened Hayes's day.

Hayes was one of those people who took pride in constantly putting forth his best effort. Nowhere was that more visible than in sports. He was always enthusiastic and a great team player. Hayes' favorite sport was basketball. Hayes also enjoyed following his favorite teams and events whenever he got the opportunity.

His high moral standards and traditional values served Hayes well within his faith. Religion and faith were important to him. Hayes was a member of the Church of Christ for 60 years. He was well-respected because he was such an outgoing individual who sought to help in any manner that he could.

Since he was practical and frugal, he was ready when the time to retire actually came. The day finally arrived in 2000. Hayes life involved relocating to Montclair, California.

Since it was easy for Hayes to meet and get to know new people, he quickly made friends, even in retirement. Once he met those new friends, he loved sharing stories and talking about "the good old days". So even in retirement, he kept in touch with his old friends and continued to make new ones. His love for animals was still present during these years as was obvious with his involvement with Pepper, a Rat Terrier and Peanut, a Cairn Terrier.

He also continued to stay active in retirement.

Hayes King left us on April 29, 2011. He passed away at Board and Care in Claremont, California. He was 91 years old. He is survived by his children, Carroll, Charlotte, Vickey; grandchildren, Ron, Cheryl, David, Christen, Courtney, Christopher, Caitlin, Shaylin; great grandchildren, Dakota, Luke, Kennedy, Reagan, Harrison, Bradley, and Jacob. Services were handled by Oakdale Mortuary. Hayes was laid to rest in the Garden of Maple in Oakdale Memorial Park in Glendora, California.

Hayes was a fantastic conversationalist who could engage just about anyone in a discussion. And whenever he said something, he meant it. Hayes was down-to-earth, outgoing and gregarious. He was, without question, the type of person who enjoyed experiencing things firsthand. He was practical and sensible, but what friends and family will remember him for the most is the fact that he was so understanding and kind. It can surely be said that everyone whose life he touched will miss Hayes King.