William G. Hays, Jr.

After graduating from Covington High School, he served in the United Sates Navy during World War II. After being discharged from the Navy, he attended the University of Georgia where he received a BS Degree and then he attended the University of Pittsburgh where he received a Master’s Degree in Business. While attending the University of Georgia, he was a member of Phi Delta Theta social fraternity and Kappa Delta Pi honorary fraternity. He was an enthusiastic and lifelong fan of Georgia football and enjoyed going to Athens to see the Bulldogs play.

Upon graduation, he started his lifetime career in finance by serving in the investment banking industry and then served 14 years as President and CEO of Commercial Acceptance Corporation, a finance company listed on the American Stock Exchange.

He then founded and served for 33 years as President and CEO of William G. Hays & Associates, Inc., an Atlanta based corporate financial consulting firm. The firm specialized in corporate insolvency matters and he served as court appointed Trustee, Special Master, Receiver, Examiner and as consultant to creditors in many large and complex proceedings. The Association of Insolvency and Restructuring Advisors presented him with the Lifetime Achievement Award.

He married Ann Holcombe Hays on August 1, 1954. They enjoyed a wonderful life together and traveled extensively and were blessed to have a wonderful family consisting of 3 sons, 3 daughter-in-law’s, 8 grandchildren and 3 great grandchildren.

He was an enthusiastic skier, scuba diver and white-water canoeist and those sports became family sports in which he and his sons actively participated. For many years, the family went to Vermont and Colorado for family skiing vacations over the Christmas holidays. It became a tradition to have a white Christmas with family skiing and that created many memories. He and his sons enjoyed boating and had a boat named “The Three Chips”. He always said that his three sons were chips off the old block so he named the boat after them. They spent many days of boating activities on lakes and trips down rivers.

He had a tradition of having a Valentine’s Day lunch each year for his wife, his three daughter-in-laws and his granddaughters. They were his “Sweethearts” whom he dearly loved. It was a very special and much anticipated event.

He dearly loved his eight grandchildren and as long as he was in good health, he never missed an opportunity to attend their sports activities, school programs, recitals, ballet performances and swim meets. He thoroughly enjoyed being with them for any occasion because his grandchildren were truly one of the “grand” things in his life. It was always a wonderful experience for him to take them on vacation trips and he always eagerly anticipated their time at his home.

He was an active member of First Presbyterian Church of Atlanta where he served as an Elder and former chairman of the Stewardship Committee, member of the Management Committee, Usher and as president of the Berean Bible Class.

He was a long-standing member of the Cherokee Town and Country Club and the University Yacht Club. He was a member of the Sons of the American Revolution and former President of the Atlanta Chapter as well as Chairman of the SAR/DAR Liaison Committee of the Georgia Society. He was a member of the Society of Colonial Wars and Sons of the Revolution.

He was preceded in death by his wonderful wife, Ann Hays. They enjoyed 65 years of marriage. He loved her dearly, He is survived by three sons: Woodfrin Grady Hays (Woody) and his wife Adrianne, Steven Gregory Hays (Greg) and his wife Annette, and William Danfield Hays (Dan) and his wife Lesley; and eight grandchildren: Emily, Will, Christopher, Ellen, Clara, Greg Jr., Henry and Caroline Hays and three great grandchildren Luke, Kaylyn and Allie.

The family will have a private graveside service at Arlington Memorial Park. Anyone who wishes to send a memorial gift, please consider the First Presbyterian Church, 1328 Peachtree St. NE Atlanta, Ga.30309 or a charity of your choice.