William Charles "W.C." Hayes, 63, Feb. 23, 1948 -- Oct. 3, 2011, of Mahahual, Mexico, passed away in Denver, Colo., after nearly five years of fighting cancer. Bill was born on Feb. 23, 1948, in Seattle. Adopted by Mary and Henry Hayes, he was their only child and grew up in Everett, Wash., on Seahurst Avenue. He led an all-American childhood on the banks of Puget Sound, fishing, crabbing and racing around in his hot rods. Bill was a graduate of Everett High School, class of 1966. Described by everyone as one of the true free spirits of the world, Bill worked a variety of jobs and owned a few businesses while raising his two boys. He was both a longshoreman and marine broker in Everett and a contractor in the Seattle area, worked for the U.S. Forest Service at the Sawtooth National Recreation Area in Idaho, owned "Taxi-Limo" in Ketchum, Idaho, was an importer/exporter from Chile and sold real estate in Mexico. Bill was mostly self-employed, and said, "It's a hard job but someone has to do it."
Bill moved to Sun Valley, Idaho, in 1969, met and married Jill Jackim Hayes, and together they raised Justin and Joshua. He moved back to Washington in 1989 and lived in Everett and Friday Harbor. Later in life, he met and married Montseret Crespo of Santiago, Chile. He lived in Santiago for three years and divorced again. Sober for 22 years at the time of his death, Bill was an active member of A.A. and used his experience and caring spirit to mentor several recovering alcoholics over the years. Later in life, as a resident of Mahahual, he volunteered helping the needy at a medical clinic in town.
Bill's purchase of his beach-front property in Mahahual made sense to those who knew him. His land was unspoiled and inviting year-round, and in no time he made a host of new friends south of the border. In these last few years he took up the art of making sea salt using the Caribbean water right outside his door. Other hobbies included listening to live music, fishing, hunting, picking morel mushrooms, snorkeling, boating around the San Juan Islands and playing cribbage. His only life disappointment was never making it to Europe. Bill would no doubt have made a host of new friends on that side of the Atlantic Ocean just like he did on this side.
Bill is survived by Justin Hayes and his wife, Sarah; Josh Hayes and his wife, Rayne; and his granddaughters, Hailey, 9, and Georgi, 6, of Justin and Sarah. All of the family members live in Denver. Among Idaho, Washington and Mexico, Bill has far too many friends to count. The family would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to Bill's friends in Washington who shuttled and cared for him during his treatments.
There will be celebrations of Bill's life in Friday Harbor, Wash., Sun Valley, Idaho, and Mahahual, Mexico. For more information, please contact Justin at 303-885-2304 or Josh Hayes at 303-520-7693. You can also check Bill's Facebook page for updates.
Bill's favorite quote: "What a long, strange trip it's been."
