His sharp wit and love of the outdoors will be missed
GLOUCESTER — David F. Hayes, of Gloucester, and formerly of Melrose, passed away on Tuesday, June 28, 2022 at Lahey Medical Center in Burlington. He was 86.
Born in Malden on May 21, 1936, David is one of three children of the late William S. D. and Elizabeth (nee Cratsley) Hayes. He attended Melrose High School before transferring to Phillips Academy in Andover, graduating cum laude in 1953. He went on to graduate cum laude from Harvard in 1958.
David served as an intelligence officer in the U.S. Navy, separating in 1962, before graduating from Harvard Law School in 1965. He then worked as an estate attorney in Boston, retiring in 2015 after 49 years with Peabody and Brown.
David was an avid outdoorsman who loved the White Mountains and the life-long friendships he developed during his Appalachian Mountain Club trail crew days. David was an honorary member of the Old Hutman’s Association and cherished his four bird dogs almost as much as he did witty conversations with dear friends. He struck fear in upland game birds with his expert shooting skills and trusty dogs and was an active member of the Northern New England Brittany and Timberdoodle Clubs. Gloucester’s Lanesville neighborhood held a special place in David’s heart; in addition to building his forever home on the property his father bought in the 1950s, he was an active member in the Lanesville Community Center.
David’s sharp wit and love of the outdoors will be missed by all.
David was predeceased by his parents, William and Elizabeth Hayes, brothers Rev. Sewell S. and Birton C. Hayes. He is survived by his wife, Joan Hayes, sisters-in-law Nancy Hayes, Sally Child and her husband Edward, and Pamela DeLong and her husband Paul; cousin Shirley Vance; stepson Gary Belcher; stepson Craig Belcher and his wife, Pam; nephew William Hayes; niece Martha Crannell and her husband, Chuck; nephew Daniel Hayes and many other nieces, nephews, grand-nieces and grand-nephews and step-grandchildren.
Relatives and friends were invited to gather in honor of David’s life during visiting hours at the Robinson Funeral Home, 809 Main St., Melrose, on Thursday, July 7 from 10-11 a.m., followed by his funeral service at 11 a.m. Interment with military honors by the US Navy at Wyoming Cemetery, Melrose. For online tribute visit RobinsonFuneralHome.com. 
