Russell Dale Hays

Russell Dale Hays died Sunday, May 31, 2026, at his home in McCleary, Washington.

Russell was born to Robert Mancel and Elsie Marie (Sieckman) Hays on December 9, 1937, in a two-story house on the corner of 2nd and Jay Streets in Waitsburg, Washington. He attended Waitsburg Public Schools from 1944 to 1956, excelling in all things academic and athletic.

In 1956, he married Francis E. Donley and moved to Seattle, where he worked at Sears and completed his high school diploma at Edison Tech. During this time, Francis and Russ became the parents of Kelly, Dawn, and Jon. Kelly and Jon were born in Seattle, and Dawn in Dayton. Russ worked as a heating & air conditioning technician and carpenter in the Puget Sound area, eventually retiring from Pacific Northwest Bell in Olympia. In 1970, Russ married Diane Jeanne Winkler, and they lived in Thurston and Grays Harbor Counties until his death.

Russ is remembered for his dry humor, free spirit, and independence. His little brother's family always anxiously awaited his five-page Christmas letter, written in pencil on lined notebook paper, chronicling his activities, health, and the general condition of the country and world; all written in his humorous, self-deprecating prose.

Russ fondly remembered August 15, 1945, when he was playing with his little brother and childhood friend, Randy Culley, at Mummer's house on Jay Street. When the three tykes heard the fire siren go off, they ran three blocks up 2nd Street to catch sight of the fire truck leaving Waitsburg's Main Street station. At the intersection of Main and Preston Avenue, they ran into a large crowd throwing eggs at an effigy of Tojo hanging in the middle of the intersection. The fire truck arrived, opened the valves on their water cannon, and Tojo exploded into shreds. It was VJ Day, and World War II was finally over.

In recent years, Russ enjoyed the hours-long telephone conversations with his little brother, reminiscing about their youth, and the frequent calls from his daughter, who quizzed him about the family and their times in Waitsburg.

Russell served in the United States Army at Fort Ord, California, and Fort Rucker, Alabama, from 1959 to 1961.

Russell is survived by his wife, Diane, in McCleary; his brother Bob (Red) in Bothell; his daughter Kelly (Hays) Rowan; his grandchildren Chellaigne Weins, Rebecca Donley, Kristin Rowan, and Miles Rowan; five great-grandchildren; and many nephews, nieces, and cousins. He is preceded in death by his parents, his daughter Dawn Hays, his son Jon Hays, his siblings Roberta Hays, Richard Hays, Wilbur Hays, Doris Williams, Howard Hays, Kenneth Hays, Betty Elder, and Elmer Hays.

There will be no funeral service. Russell's body has been donated to the University of Washington School of Medicine.