Bob Hayes

Funeral service for Bob Hayes will be held 1:00 p.m. Wednesday, June 8, 2016 at the First Christian Church of Claremore. Burial will follow at White Oak Cemetery under the direction of the MMS-Payne Funeral Home & Cremation Service. Visitation will be held at the funeral home Tuesday 1-8 p.m., and family will greet friends 6-8 p.m.

Robert "Bob" Edward Hayes passed away Sunday, June 5th 2016, surrounded at home by all of his closest family members, at the age of 63.

The son of Thomas and Emma Kincade Hayes was born July 20th, 1952, in Claremore. As a young boy Bob was raised in rural Craig County in White Oak. He began his school years there, and later moved to Wyoming for a brief time, then would finish his senior year at Will Rogers High School in Tulsa, graduating in 1970. After graduation Bob enlisted in the United States Army during the Vietnam era. Once back home Bob attended the White Oak School reunion with his brother Jim, not knowing that on this night he would meet the love of his life Kathy Dobbs who also was attending the reunion with her sister. The two fell for each other right away and were married December 9th, 1983, in Catoosa. The new couple made there home in Catoosa for a short while before moving to Inola. There Bob and Kathy began raising their new family. Bob found himself coaching softball for his children and just about anything else the kids wanted him to do. Bob's next move took him, Kathy and Rachel to Lake Tenkiller. Since boating and fishing were among his favorite things, it was only natural to move there. For the next several years Bob would commute back and forth to Tulsa for work at Ramsey Winch Company, where Bob worked almost 43 years before retiring in 2015. Then wanting to be closer to their family Bob and Kathy moved to Claremore with their youngest daughter Rachel and son-in-law Chap.

In his spare time Bob loved working on all things. He loved wood-working, leather crafting, gardening and of course listening to his favorite singer, Jimmy Buffett.

To people who knew him, Bob was the nicest and most selfless person. He had a knack for all things, AKA Mr. Fix It. There was nothing this man could not do.

He is preceded in death by his Mother Emma Ernestine Lee Kincade and his sister, Tommy Buchfink.

Survivors include his loving wife Kathy Hayes of the home, his father Thomas Hayes of Collinsville; Children Amy Boyd and husband Greg of Mathews, North Carolina, Mandy Chapman and husband Trey of Broken Arrow, Brandi Jamison and husband Mike of Prattville, Robert Hayes, Jr. and wife Tosha of Tiawah, and Rachel Hayes-Crawford and husband Chaplin of Claremore; grandchildren Ryan, Adam, Justin, Joshua, Teylor, Chase, Dawson, Logan, Hayes and future grandbaby on the way; great-grandson Ethan; brother Jim Hayes and wife Mickey of Collinsville; sister Dixie Simmons and husband Jerry of Talala; and numerous nieces, nephews, and cousins.