Charles "Chuck" Hayes, February 4, 2017. Age 91.

Chuck Hayes was born in Detroit on June 28, 1925 to Thomas Leo and Ida Elizabeth Hayes, but spent his early years in the Windsor/Tecumseh area. When he was 18, he returned to the U.S. and joined the U.S. Army Air Corps. After training, he sailed from New York on the Queen Elizabeth to Glasgow, Scotland. They landed on June 6, 1944 (D-Day) and proceeded to the air base at Halesworth, England where he was attached to Eighth Air Force, 489th Bomber Group, 844th Bomber Squadron. He served as a waist gunner in a B-24 Liberator, flying 31 successful missions over Europe. He returned to New York in December 1944 and was honorably discharged on October 16, 1945.

He started his accounting career at Arthur Anderson before joining the Gas Company in Detroit where he spent the remainder of his career, retiring as a senior executive from the American Natural Resources company.

On October 22, 1955, he married his sweetheart Ruth Couturier. Together they raised six children. He is grandpa to 11 and great-grandpa to two.

Chuck was very active in the various Catholic churches in which he was a parishioner, including St. Peter's (Harper Woods), Our Lady Queen of Peace (Harper Woods), St. Andrew (Rochester) and Holy Family (Novi). At St. Andrew he ran the Maintenance department (after retiring from his accounting career). He lived his faith, volunteering to work with inmates at the Oakland County Jail and other community services. He was also a member of the Knights of Columbus.
After his second retirement (from St. Andrew), he and Ruth set out to enjoy their retirement spending nearly 20 years wintering in Arizona. Always active, he could be found playing golf, hiking in the mountains and even volunteering his time as a shuttle driver at the Tucson Medical Center, earning his 100-hour pin. Due to his love of golf, he also volunteered at the LPGA tournaments held in Tucson.

In 2007, Chuck and Ruth moved into Fox Run Village in Novi. As always, Chuck stayed busy serving on the Resident Advisory Committee, as a member of the Catholic Council, as a Eucharistic Minister, singing with the Community Choir and numerous other social activities. He loved working crossword puzzles and later picture puzzles, always hiding a piece so he could put in the last one!

In 2015, Chuck was delighted to celebrate his 90th birthday with 90 members of his extended family and friends. A few months later, he and Ruth celebrated their 60th anniversary surrounded by their children and grandchildren.

Chuck will be dearly missed by his wife of 61 years, Ruth, and his children Peggy (Brian Burns) Hayes, Marianne Foell (and the late Tom), Sharon (Jerry) Badyna, Denise (Dan) Devine, Tom (Belinda) Hayes and Will (Cheryl) Hayes. Also missing their grandpa are his 11 grandchildren Matthew, Megan, Jennifer, Laura, Allison, Erin, Leigh, Ryan, Nicholas, Kyle and Shannon and his 2 great-grandchildren Brysen and Connor.

He is survived by his brother-in-law and sister-in-law Don (Betty) Couturier and sister-in-law Noella Hayes. The last of his generation of the "Hayes Boys", he was predeceased by his brothers and sisters-in-law Tom (Marie Louise), Harry (Geraldine) and Jack (Rosemary). He is fondly remembered by numerous nieces and nephews from coast to coast in Canada and Michigan.
Visitation is 2-8 pm Wednesday, February 8, 2017 at the O'Brien/Sullivan Funeral Home, 41555 Grand River, Novi. A scripture service will be held Wednesday at 7 p.m. The Funeral Liturgy will be held on Thursday, February 9, 2017 at 10:30 a.m. at Holy Family Catholic Church, 24505 Meadowbrook Road, Novi, with visitation from 10 a.m. until the funeral service. Interment will be at Great Lakes National Cemetery at a later date.

Memorial contributions can be made to the Fox Run Scholarship Fund or the Capuchin Soup Kitchen: Click Here to Contribute