Donald Hayes

Donald Hayes, 88, died quietly on Tuesday, January 26, 2016, at Heritage Assisted Living in Monona. He was born in Janesville on April 5th, 1927, to Vincent and Esther (Stone) Hayes.
A 1949 graduate of the University of Wisconsin, Don married Geraldine Hettig in Green Bay that same year.
Don began his career in retail at J.C. Penney on Capitol Square while still at UW. He then worked at Penney stores in La Crosse and Clintonville, WI, before beginning his 32-year career with Sears, Roebuck, in 1955. At Sears, he rose from salesman in Rockford, IL, to buyer of toys at corporate headquarters in Chicago. After retiring to Sturgeon Bay in 1987, Don consulted part-time in the toy industry for five more years. Throughout his life — and especially in his long retirement — Don enjoyed travel and learning, eventually visiting all 50 States and 21 countries, and attending over 30 Elderhostel (now Road Scholar) programs throughout the U.S. When not traveling, Don was an avid golfer and relentless reader. He and Geri moved to Fitchburg in 2005, to be closer to family and Madison's excellent health care facilities. The wonderful Fitchburg Public Library was “icing on the cake” when it opened in 2011.
Don is survived by his wife, Geri; two sons, David of Waterloo, WI, and Glenn of New Berlin; two grandchildren, Brian Hayes of Huntley, IL, and Karen Hayes of Waterloo; and two great-granddaughters. He was preceded in death by his oldest child, Cathryn Young, in 2006.
Tuschen-Newcomer Funeral Home
& Cremation Service
Sun Prairie, WI 608-837-5400
www.newcomerfh.com