Dr. Millard Edward Hays

Dr. Millard Edward Hays, DVM, 92, passed away peacefully on February 24, 2018 in Noblesville, Indiana. He lived most of his life near Liberty, Indiana with his wife, Trois. He was born July 20, 1925 in the Miami Valley Hospital in Dayton, Ohio. His parents, Bina (Sweeney), Cecil Hays and sister, Kathleen Cotter moved to the family farm in Union County in 1929. Millard graduated from Liberty Short High School in 1943. He was president of the FFA and Vice President of his senior class. He enjoyed his friends and the High School Dances. Upon High School graduation Millard enlisted in the Marines and after basic training in Coronado, California, was shipped to New Caledonia in the south Pacific in February 1944. He was with the First Marine Division on the Island of Pavuvu, a small island north of Guadalcanal in the West Pacific Ocean. On September 1944, his Marine Division landed on Peleliu where it took three weeks to take the island. He then went on to land on Okinawa and was there from April 1945 until October 1945. His tour of duty ended in Tientsin China where he left for home on March 4, 1946. After the war, Millard studied Pre-Med at Miami of Ohio then Animal Husbandry at Purdue University in 1948-49. He was then accepted into the Ohio State University College of Veterinary Medicine which was his dream come true! On December 20, 1952 Millard married Trois Williams of College Corner, Ohio. Trois was teaching first grade in the old Indianola School in Columbus, Ohio. Millard and Trois had two sons', Brad Hays (Lisa) from Noblesville and John Hays (Gwen) also from Noblesville, Indiana. They are the loving grandparents of two beautiful granddaughters, Sarah and Megan Hays, both daughters of John and Gwen Hays from Noblesville. Millard began his Veterinary practice out of his home in Cottage Grove, Indiana in 1953. He partnered with Dr. Mallo in 1955 and built the Grove Veterinary Clinic near Cottage Grove where they practiced together until 1975. In 1975, Millard joined with Dr. Turner to open a new Grove Veterinary Clinic closer to Liberty where he practiced, specializing in Equine medicine until his retirement in 1993. Millard had a lifelong passion for Horses and in addition to specializing in Equine as a practicing Veterinarian; he also bred, raised and trained Quarter Horses at his home. At times, his quarter horse herd numbered over forty horses. Horses he bred competed in and won the National Reining Futurity Championship in 1971, the Open Reining Championship in 1971, the Cutting Horse Congress Quarterama in Canada in 1982. Millard was a member of the American Veterinary Medical Association, the Indiana Veterinary Medical Association, the American Association of Equine Practitioners as State Chairman since 1970 and was on the Board of Directors for Union County National Bank in 1980. He served on the Union County Public Health Board since 1960. He started the 4-H Horse and Pony Club in Union county in 1958 and was instrumental in starting the Union County High School Football Program in 1973. In his retirement, Millard enjoyed riding horses around Whitewater State Park with his friends and family. He enjoyed taking care of his property in Liberty and caring for the horses. He picked up golf and enjoyed the men's league in Liberty. While spending winters in Florida, he and Trois met many new friends playing golf and socializing at their condominium complex. Millard and Trois were blessed by an abundance of friendships throughout the community. They have been fantastic friends, parents and grandparents. Millard was preceded in death by his parents, Cecil and Bina (Sweeney) Hays and his sister, Kathleen Cotter. A Celebration of Millard's Life will be at 3 p.m. Saturday, March 3, 2018 at Showalter Blackwell Long Funeral Home, Fosdick Chapel, Liberty. Friends may visit at the funeral home Saturday from 1 p.m. until the time of service. Military honors will be conducted by the American Legion, Post #122 and the VFW, Post #1472. In lieu of flowers, please make a contribution to the Union County Foundation for Hays Early Childhood Education Scholarship Fund. For additional information and to send Millard's family condolences or memories, please visit www.ShowalterBlackwellLong.com.