William "Bill" Thomas Hayes

Lehi, Utah

William Thomas Hayes passed away on April 15, 2025, at Covington Enhanced Care in Lehi Utah from causes incident to age and dementia. He was born in Salt Lake General Hospital to Thomas Max and Bertha Marie Fritz Hayes.

Bill was Lehi through and through. He grew up in the small town of Lehi and graduated from Lehi High School, where he was a true Lehi Pioneer, playing football, basketball, and baseball. His roots in the community ran deep as the great-great-grandson of some of Lehi's earliest settlers, including Luke Titcomb, John Jackson, and Mary Joynson Jackson. His love for Lehi and its people remained a constant throughout his life.

He served in the Utah National Guard and held various jobs in his youth, including work at Saratoga Resort, the Sugar Factory, General Refractories, Powell's Block Plant, Lehi Irrigation, Larson's Market, the Lehi Free Press, and local farms thinning beets.

In 1959, Bill married Phyllis Price, and together they had three children: Robyn, Curt, and Janica. They shared a love for fishing, skiing, and traveling, especially to their favorite spot, Ennis, Montana. They also enjoyed evenings at home watching movies with a bag of microwave popcorn and took pride in supporting their children's activities. Their time together was sadly cut short when Phyllis passed away in 1998. (Bill & Phyll 4 Ever)

Bill attended the University of Utah and Southern Utah University, and spent his entire career in the sporting goods industry. He managed Wolfe's Sportsman's Headquarters, was an original partner in Angler's Inn, and worked as a sales representative for brands like Winchester, Colt, Smith & Wesson, Nikon, and Hornady. In 1986, he founded Sportsman's Warehouse in Midvale, which he proudly ran until selling it in 1996 to retire and spend more time with his family. Bill was deeply proud of the store, and it remained one of the most meaningful accomplishments of his life.

In 1999, Bill married a lifelong friend, Joyce Ann Jones. The Hayes and Jones families had grown up together, sharing years of fishing trips, ski days, holidays, and backyard barbecues. Bill, Phyllis, and Joyce had all started kindergarten together and graduated from Lehi High School in 1957.

Bill and Joyce spent many wonderful years traveling the world, from Tasmania to Beijing, and split their time between summers in Montana and winters in St. George. They enjoyed fishing, golfing, floating rivers, hiking, biking, and birding.

Bill is survived by his wife, Joyce Ann; his children: Robyn Lynn (Dale) Smith, Janica (Joe) Hayes, and William Curtis Hayes; eight grandchildren and six great-grandchildren. He is also survived by his stepchildren: Jeff, Mark, Suzie, and Jodi, and their families.Bill will be remembered for his quick wit, his charm, his love of music and the Utes, his gift for giving everyone he met a nickname whether they liked it or not, and his legendary sayings like, "Hair doesn't grow on steel!" We'll miss his larger-than-life presence in this world and in our lives.

In lieu of flowers, the family kindly asks that donations be made to Covington Memory Care. You can donate by Venmo to Covington Care @BillHayesMemoryCare, https://venmo.com/u/BillHayesMemoryCare or mail a check to Covington Senior Living, 301 N 1200 E, Lehi, UT 84043. Please include "MC donation on behalf of Bill Hayes" in the memo. In honor of Bill's wishes, a private graveside service will be held in Lehi at a later date. Go UTES!