Johnny Ray Hay Sr.

Johnny Ray Hay Sr., of El Dorado, Arkansas, passed away at his home on August 20, 2026, surrounded by his family. He was born July 6, 1943, in El Dorado to Joel Thomas Hay and Esther Christine Jackson Hay.

Johnny’s passing came two years and one day after the passing of his wife, Carolyn, with whom he shared 60 years of marriage. Johnny and Carolyn spent those years building a home, raising their family, serving their church and enjoying a life together surrounded by family and friends.

Johnny was a longtime member of West Side Baptist Church. He served as a Deacon and taught the eighth-grade Sunday School class for many years. His faith was important to him, and he tried to live it by the way he treated people and by being there when someone needed help.

Johnny went to work as a boilermaker with Local 69 in 1964 and continued in the trade until retiring in 2007. He also worked at El Dorado Chemical from 1985 to 2002. Even after retirement, sitting still wasn’t really in his nature. He started a handyman service and used the carpentry and construction skills he had learned over a lifetime to help families and businesses around El Dorado.

Johnny could build or fix just about anything. Years ago, he cleared the property by hand where he and Carolyn would make their home, and then built the family home himself. He later built the gazebo that became the backdrop for the family’s Thanksgiving and Christmas pictures year after year. Those pictures, and the home and gazebo still standing behind them, tell a pretty good story about Johnny and the life he and Carolyn built together.

Family always came first for Johnny. After that, there was usually something Carolyn had dreamed up that she wanted him to build, fix or change. And somewhere after Carolyn’s list came hunting and fishing.

Johnny loved to deer hunt, and he loved to talk about deer hunting almost as much. He especially enjoyed hunting with his son, John, and hunting and fishing with his grandchildren. One of his favorite trips was a South Texas hunt with John where they went after the “big South Texas bucks.” Even when he wasn’t hunting, Johnny enjoyed sitting at home and watching the deer come through his yard.

His family will also remember the smaller things that were simply Dad and Grandy. One of those was making Angela her favorite Rice Krispies treats, or cutting open and enjoying one of his favorite watermelons with the family. It didn’t have to be a big occasion. Those everyday things are some of the memories his family will miss the most.

Johnny is survived by his son, John Ray Hay Jr. (Marlene) of Houston, Texas; his daughter, Angela Christine Simmons (Alan) of El Dorado, Arkansas; his grandchildren, Collin Hay (Brooke) of Fayetteville, Arkansas; Alexis Hallman (Andrew) of Conway, Arkansas; Anna Claire Hay of Fayetteville, Arkansas; and Adam Simmons (Hannah) of El Dorado, Arkansas; and his sister, Sue Banks of New Hebron, Mississippi. He also leaves behind numerous nieces and nephews and many friends.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Carolyn Hay; his parents, Joel Thomas Hay and Esther Christine Jackson Hay; his sister, Annette McMahan of El Dorado; his brother, Bobbie Hay of El Dorado; and his great-grandchildren, Adley Hallman and Christopher Hay.

Visitation will be held Sunday, August 23, 2026, at 1:00 p.m., followed by the funeral service at 2:00 p.m. at West Side Baptist Church in El Dorado. Brother Cody Lane and David Voss will officiate. Services are entrusted to Young’s Funeral Home.

In lieu of flowers, the family welcomes memorial donations in Johnny’s honor to West Side Baptist Church, a church that was an important part of Johnny and Carolyn’s lives. Donations may be sent to:

West Side Baptist Church, 2400 West Hillsboro El Dorado, Arkansas 71730.

The family would like to give a special and heartfelt thank-you to the women who cared for Johnny: Danyell Brooks, Lisa Ann Mayer, Tressie Williams, LaTonya Moore, Alecia Rushing and April Primm. Their kindness, compassion and care brought comfort and peace to Johnny and his family.

Johnny was a man of faith who worked hard, loved his family, helped people when he could, and enjoyed a good deer story. He built a home with his own hands, but more importantly, he and Carolyn built a family and a lifetime of memories inside it. He will be deeply missed by all who knew and loved him.

Condolences for the Hay family may be expressed online at www.youngsfuneralhome.com.