Malcolm R. Hayes

Waltham – Mr. Malcolm R. ‘Mac’ Hayes, a 32 year veteran of the Waltham Fire Department, died Tuesday, December 22, 2009 at his home. He was 85. Mac was born in Waltham on May 25, 1924, a son of the late William and Emma (O’Leary) Hayes and had been a lifelong resident. He was a graduate of Waltham High School. While in school Mac took flying lessons and during World War II he served with the United States Army Air Corps. He was qualified as a bombardier and flying instructor and trained Chinese pilots at Maxwell Field in Alabama to fly and to fight in the China-Burma-India Theater. After the war Mac returned home to Waltham and worked at the Waltham Foundry Company. In 1947 he met his future bride, Marie A. (Leas) Hayes, a Lawrence native and a nurse at the Brighton Marine Hospital, at the Hampton Beach Casino Ballroom. Mac and Marie were married a year later and settled in Waltham where they spent more than sixty happy years working hard and raising their eight children. On February 7, 1954 Mac was appointed a firefighter with the Waltham Fire Department. Tragically, three days later on February 10th, Mac and Marie’s fourth child, their five day old daughter Maryellen died at Waltham Hospital of a respiratory ailment. In April of 1963 Mac was promoted to Fire Lieutenant, a position that he held until his retirement from the department on January 10, 1986. After that Mac worked for several years as a funeral assistant for his nephew, Bill Hayes, at the former Lyons and Hayes Funeral Home in West Newton. He was a member of the International Association of Fire Fighters, Local No. 866 and had been a member of the Knights of Columbus in Waltham. In addition to his wife, Mac leaves his children, Malcolm R. ‘Mac’ Hayes, Jr. and his wife, Donna, of Weston, Barry C. Hayes of Waltham, Marie A. Marquis and her husband, Greg, of Bow, New Hampshire, Judith M. Cary of Pittsfield, Christopher M. Hayes and his wife, Jana, of Burlington, Iowa, Patricia M. Luckern and her husband, Mo, of New Durham, New Hampshire, Eileen M. Bates and her husband, Ray, of Marblehead and Jonathan W. Hayes and his wife, Pam, of West Burlington, Iowa; his sister, Mary Langton of Pocasset; 19 grandchildren, 5 great-grandchildren and many nieces and nephews. Mac was also a brother of the late William, Archibald, Rev. C. Edmund, Paul and John Hayes, Eleanor Kelly and Ann Bourque. Family and friends will honor and remember Mac’s life by gathering for calling hours in The Joyce Funeral Home, 245 Main Street (Rte. 20), Waltham on Monday, December 28th, from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. and again at 9 a.m. on Tuesday morning before leaving in procession to Saint Mary’s Church, 133 School Street, Waltham where his Funeral Mass will be celebrated at 10 a.m. Committal services will follow in Newton Cemetery Chapel. Memorial donations may be made to the Waltham Fire Fighters Welfare and Relief Association, 175 Lexington Street, Waltham, MA 02452.