John A. Hayes, age 79, spouse of the Reverend Susan LaMar, died at home 13 January 2021, after living with Myeloma for over ten years. Jack was born in Milford Massachusetts, attended Hopedale public schools, graduating from the high school in 1959.
Even before graduation, however, he had begun working to help support his family, as his mother’s health declined. In 1960 he began in the stock room of Worcester County Electric (later Massachusetts Electric.) He rose through several positions there, becoming Union Steward and a member of the Board of Directors of the Massachusetts Electric Credit Union. He also served as a Reserve Police Officer and as a volunteer member of the Zoning Board of Appeals.
In 1973 Jack was elected to the Hopedale Board of Selectmen, and after successive re-elections became the town’s Administrator in 1983. He left that position and moved to Millbury several years later. In 1994 he became Chief Security Supervisor at Centrum, a public arena and convention center in Worcester, MA. Jack retired from that position in 2002 to follow Susan as her career developed. That led them to California and then to Ellicott City, Maryland. In 2016 they returned to Massachusetts and settled in Uxbridge.
Jack was a model railroader, finishing his most recent layout in 2019, despite his illness. He followed politics closely and to the end read the Washington Post daily, particularly his favorite columnists.
He is survived by Susan; his daughter Suzanne Hayes Lesch, her husband Will Lesch and their two children; his sisters Anne, wife of John Hogarth of Hopedale MA, and Barbara Sullivan of Medfield MA; several nieces and nephews and cousins; and his former wife, Marge Jensen of Braintree Vermont.
There will be no public memorial service. Jack’s family requests that memorial gifts be directed to your local food bank.