North Shore Obituary: James E. "Whitey" Hayes

The following obituary is courtesy of Donnellan Family Funeral Services.

James E. “Whitey” Hayes. A ready smile, an excited handshake, an infectious, “Well! As I live and breathe”, and a track record of success and friendship endeared a wonderful man to the thousands who loved him. Jim passed quietly and peacefully Monday night, lovingly cared for by the gentle folks at Silverado’s warm home for Dementia patients. He bids “You’re the best,” to his massive, devoted family and legions of friends. The ultimate ‘people person,” Jim never forgot a name, distinguished himself by his loyalty, wonderful sense of humor, patriotism, strong Catholic faith, storytelling and a love of music that carried family songs across generations and into the wee hours. A fourth generation alum of Sacred Heart School in Winnetka, Il; class President at Loyola Academy where he made the Illinois All-Star football team his senior year; Holy Cross College and MBA from Michigan U, he later served actively on boards and special committees for Loyola, Holy Cross, and the Naval War College in Newport, R.I. Born in 1930, he served in the Korean War, loved Navy life and remained in the Illinois Naval Reserve for almost three decades. After running Hayes Paving, a third-generation construction company--which had been active all over the Chicago North Shore for a hundred years, turning long swaths of dirt road for horses into Green Bay Road from Evanston to Glencoe—he managed Laird, Inc., in Chicago, in the 60s, became vice-president of Syndication and Institutional Sales at Morgan Stanley in New York in the 70s and 80s, and began Hayes&Griffith Capital/Convergent Capital in the mid-80s, with partners Tom Griffith, Rick Adler and James J. McNulty.

He is survived by his wife Marie and son Will of Chicago; son Jim and wife Molly Wanner and their children Maya and Camila, of Boston; and a huge contingent of Hayes, McNulty and Mitchell nieces and nephews and their families. We know he’s upstairs, pounding his fist of what passes for a table, and booming, “Let’s have some FUN!”, then “Deal ‘em,” For us, he leaves generous words of wisdom, most remembered, “We live in hopes,” and “Onward and Upward.”

Visitation Friday August 28, 2015 3:00pm – 8:00pm at Donnellan Family Funeral Home, 10045 Skokie Boulevard at Old Orchard Rd. Skokie.

Funeral Mass Saturday August 29, 11:00am at SS Faith Hope and Charity, 191 Linden St. Winnetka IL.

Interment Private, at a later date.

In lieu of flowers, consider contributions to Loyola Academy 1100 Laramie Avenue. Wilmette, Illinois 60091; College of the Holy Cross,1 College Street, Worcester, MA 01610; the Naval War College Foundation, 686 Cushing Road, Newport, Rhode Island 02841; Old St. Patrick’s Church, 700 W Adams St, Chicago, IL 60661 and Catholic Extension ,150 S Wacker Dr., Ste 2000, Chicago, IL 60606

Funeral Info www.donnellanfuneral.com or (847) 675-1990