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David Hayes, 56, of Bowling Green, Ohio, passed away on Oct. 21, 2026.
David was born in Boiling Springs, North Carolina, on April 30, 1970, to Terry Richard and Susan (Starks) Hayes.
After spending some time in Michigan, the family settled in Elkins, West Virginia, in 1977, where David attended Randolph County schools, graduating from Elkins High School in 1988. He attended Davis & Elkins College briefly before joining the U.S. Air Force, where he served in the Honor Guard, always Proud to Honor those who Served.
Following his years of service, he returned to Davis & Elkins College, where he completed his Bachelor of Arts degree. He then moved to Toledo, Ohio, living with his maternal grandparents and working a wide variety of jobs. It was in Toledo that he met and married Emily K. Stanton on May 27, 2000.
David worked as an Internet Security Analyst for Bowling Green State University for 19 years. He enjoyed baking, working on his small farm and most importantly devoted his time to raising his three (now adult) children, Noelle, Matthew and Isabelle.
David was preceded in death by his father, Terry; his maternal grandparents, Carl and Dorothea Starks of Toledo, Ohio; his paternal grandparents, F. Gayle and Edna Hayes of Des Moines, Iowa; and his Aunt Paula Wilson of Madison Heights, Virginia.
He is survived by Emily, Noelle, Matthew and Isabelle Hayes of Perrysburg, Ohio; his mother and sister, Susan and Rachel Hayes of Elkins; nephew, Alex (Emma) Chua-Mach of Morgantown; niece, Heidi Del Mach of Rochester, New York; niece, Savannah Gannon of Elkins; as well as many aunts, uncles and cousins primarily in Lynchburg, Virginia.
A Celebration of David's Life is planned for Saturday, Nov. 7, 2026, at the First Baptist Church on Randolph Avenue in Elkins.
There will be visitation at 1 p.m., followed by a service at 2 p.m.
Please bring memorable stories to share and celebrate David.
In lieu of flowers, the family suggests a donation to a veterans' organization such as Wounded Warriors, K9s for Warriors, Potomac Highlands Wounded Warrior Outreach, or any organization providing support for those in need.