John Crawford Hayes
Of Tewksbury, age 87
John "Jack" Crawford Hayes, passed away on May 14, 2017.
He was born in Prince Rupert Canada on April 7, 1930.
John grew up in Manchester, N.H., Boston MA., Lake Forest Illinois, and summered at Rye Beach
N.H.
He attended the Webster School in Manchester, The Fessenden School in Newton, Ma.
and later studied at the University of Arizona and the University of New Hampshire, where he
received a B..A. in History. He was known as a stalwart champion of his fraternity, the ATO.
John went on to serve in the United States Army, where he was an infantry Captain, and later spent
years in the Army Reserves.
John married Margery "Midge" Davis in 1953. They raised five children in Manchester with a few years’ hiatus in California.
John and Midge loved to garden and became organic gardeners in the 1960's. In season, they spent most of their spare time raising vegetables for the family.
After Midge's death in 1974, John managed the greenhouses at the Tewksbury State Hospital until his retirement.
He was charismatic and his lifelong love of history, a command of information and a knack for conversation made John a man who could talk to anyone about anything.
He was an avid runner into his senior years and was especially fond of a kind of early jazz he called "moldy fig".
Among his most cherished memories were the train trips young John took to Washington State to visit his grandfather’s ranch.
He is predeceased by his mother, Gladys Slayton, his stepfather Hovey Slayton and his step sister
Patricia Qua of Tewksbury.
John is survived by his children, Kathleen, William, James and his wife Christina, Josephine, and Susan; seven grandchildren and two great grandchildren.
To honor his deep connection to the sea, at his request his family will gather on his favorite stretch of beach to release his ashes and bid him farewell.
A service for Jack will be held at the Tewksbury Cemetery, Friday July 14th at 11 AM. in the
Veterans Section. All are welcome to attend.