Thomas (Tom) Edward Hays

Thomas (Tom) Edward Hays, long-time resident of Washtucna, died May 7, 2014, in Colfax.

He was born on Aug. 1, 1927, at a home near Castle Rock, Mont., the youngest of Robert E. (Pudge) and Susie E. Hays’ six children. He grew up in Colstrip, Mont. In 1944 on his 17th birthday he joined the U.S. Navy.

On Dec. 7, 1947, he married Jonnee Hays and with the war being over and as a new married couple, they set out on a new life’s venture to Washtucna, where he found work as an auto mechanic. In 1964 Tom’s Auto Repair was established in Washtucna.

It has been said that he worked hard and had a great...