William J Hayes

HAYES, William John, 76, died Saturday, Nov. 11, 2023 at Mease Countryside Hospital in Safety Harbor, Fl. Bill, or Mr. Bill to those who loved him, was born in Cleveland, Ohio on May 25, 1947. He grew up in Elyria, Ohio, the only brother to four sisters in a large Irish family. He attended Elyria Catholic High School and graduated from Bowling Green State University in 1969. He married his best friend and lifelong love Michaelene “Mickie” Terschak the same year, and they went on to have two children. In September 2023, Bill and Mickie celebrated their 54th wedding anniversary. Bill spent his career as a respiratory therapist, working at St. Joseph’s Hospital in Lorain, Ohio, and upon moving to Florida in 1994, Mease Countryside until his retirement. He was known for his quick, dry, dark sense of humor, entertaining the family at gatherings by muttering jokes under his breath. He had many friends at the hospital and helped younger respiratory therapists learn to handle high-stress situations with a bit of levity. He was an avid reader and seeker of knowledge and had a close connection to his spirituality. There will never be another Mr. Bill. He is survived by his wife, Mickie Hayes, children, Jeremy Hayes and Stephanie Hayes, grandchildren, Henry and Clara, siblings, Sandra Fries, Christine Bucholz and Jacqueline Root, and many nieces and nephews. He is predeceased by his sister, Donna Hayes, and parents, John and Jean Hayes. A viewing and brief service will be held from 5-8 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 16 at Sylvan Abbey Memorial Park and Funeral Home, with a funeral service starting at 6:30 pm (2853 Sunset Point Road, Clearwater). All are welcome to celebrate his life. A Catholic funeral mass will follow in Ohio at St. Mary's Catholic Church (731 Exchange St., Vermilion, OH 44089) on December 9, 2023 at 11:00 am. Donations in his name can be made to the American Heart Association or St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.