Obituary of Kenneth Hays

IN LOVING MEMORY OF KENNETH HAYS Kennth Hays was born June 9, 1922, the oldest son of Floyd and Georgia (McGarity) Hays, near Edmond, Kansas. He passed away at the Norton County Hospital in Norton, Kansas, on February 20, 2010, at the age of 87. In 1930, the family moved to a farm 11 miles southeast of Almena, Kansas. Kenneth attended Timber Lake grade school and graduated from Almena Rural High School in 1940. He volunteered for the Army one year after Pearl Harbor. He was a Rifleman in the 103rd Infantry division and was in Europe in the winter of 1944 and 1945, ad took part in the Battle of the Bulge. He received a Combat Infantry badge, a Bronze Star, and other medals. He was discharged in 1945, and came home and started farming. On ?, 1947, Kenneth and Faith Sprigg were united in marriage in Norton. To this union three children were born, Susan, Richard, and Gale, and all the children graduated from Ft. Hays State University. Susan passed away in 1989. Kenneth was a member of the Baker EUB church and later the First Church of God in Norton, where he was on the church board and taught Sunday School for several years. During his farming years he served on the Farm Bureau board, the Co-op board, the ASCS county committee, the FHA committee, and the country school board. He worked for ASCS over 10 years and drilled grass and built terraces for several years. He received the Bankers Award in 1965, and the Wildlife Habitat Conservation Award in 1983. In 1985, Kenneth and Faith semi-retired and moved into Almena. Survivors include: his wife, Faith, of the home in Almena; two sons and their wives, Richard and JerriAnn Hays, Bullhead, Arizona; Gale and Ranelle Hays, rural Almena; seven grandchildren, Sutan Mongpo and husband, Pitack, Bangkok, Thailand; Rebekah Mussman and husband, Paul, Minden, Nebraska; Rachel Martin and husband, Trevor, Marcus, Iowa; Megan Husted and husband, Steve, Hoisington, Kansas; Mercedes Johnson and husband, Zachary, Hugoton, Kansas; Ethan and Gunnar Hays, rural Almena; four great-grandchildren, Neena and Nanny Mongpo, Colin Mussman, and Campbell Husted; one step-great-grandchild, Donut Mongpo; two brothers, Donald Hays, Norton; Robert Hays and wife, Etta Hays, Golden, Colorado; one sister, Rose Getty and husband, Dale, Littleton, Colorado; one brother-in-law, Dean Sprigg and wife, Evelyn, Norton; numerous nieces and nephews; other relatives and a host of friends. He was preceded in death by his parents, his daughter, Susan. A memorial has been established to the Kenneth Hays Memorial Fund. Calling hours will be Monday, February 22 from 3:00 pm until 8:00 pm at Enfield Funeral Home, 215 W. Main, Norton, KS. .