Donald Hay

DONALD HAY

Marion

Captain Donald George "Don" Hay, USN (RET), passed away Thursday, Aug. 28, 2014, at the age of 80, in Kennewick, Wash., finally succumbing to a combination of impairments and terminal diseases acquired during his years of service in the United States Navy (Agent Orange exposure in Vietnam) and while working at the Hanford Nuclear Reservation in Washington State.

Don was born July 31, 1934, in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, the son of Mildred Maud (Sidlinger) and George Christian Hay. Don was raised in Marion, Iowa. He earned a bachelor's degree from Iowa State Teachers College, now the University of Northern Iowa, in Cedar Falls, Iowa. In 1955, Don married his high school sweetheart, Joan Petrusch. They remained married for 31 years.

Don joined the Navy in 1956 and served for 30 years. His naval service saw him on most of the world's oceans and seas. He came to love being at sea. In all, he spent 14 years at sea on a variety of ships and commands. Don was a surface warfare and anti-submarine warfare specialist with many deployments to the Western Pacific (to Vietnam for combat operations) and off the northern coast of Russia.

In his sea service, Don was captain of the guided missile destroyer, U.S.S. John S. McCain and commodore (commander) of Destroyer Squadron Seventeen and chief of staff for Carrier Group Eight/NATO Carrier Stricking Force Atlantic. Don also had numerous shore responsibilities and commands. His last tour of duty before retirement involved standing up the new Force Performance Division in the Space and Naval Warfare Systems Command (SPAWAR).

His many decorations include the Navy Commendation Medal with Combat V, the Combat Action Ribbon and the Vietnam Service Medal with four bronze stars.

After retirement from the Navy, Don was a manager for Honeywell's Underseas Warfare Division and then for many years at the Department of Energy's Hanford of Nuclear Energy Site in eastern Washington, working in several different managerial and senior consultant positions.

In 1989, Don met his soul mate, Sandra (Sandy) Stumpf, at church in Richland, Wash. They were married July 27, 1991. Sandy and Don often said that they married to learn each other's fly fishing secrets, but there really never was any contest because Sandy always out-fished Don. What they truly shared was a deep and growing passion for the Lord and His Word and Ways.

Don finally retired in July 1999. That fall, he took his Walk to Emmaus in Cedar Rapids, sponsored by his brother, Robert E. Hay of Marion. Don experienced an Epiphany during his Walk that significantly influenced the rest of his life, the change he had been looking for. This was reinforced when he was baptized as an aware adult on Nov. 11, 2007, in Sierra Vista, Ariz. Sandy and Don spent his retired years traveling through the western U.S, Canada and Alaska, dropping anchor and residing in Hereford, Ariz., for 10 years before returning to the Tri-Cities of Washington and settling in Pasco, Wash., in February 2012.

Don is survived by Sandy, his loving wife of 23 years; his children, son, John (Martha) Hay of St. Paul, Minn., granddaughter Allison Christine Hay and grandson David Hay; son, James (Melinda) Hay of Albuquerque, N.M., granddaughter Darcey (Dusty) Land and great-grandsons Rayden and Ramzey; and daughter, Meagan Hay Moore of Iowa City and granddaughter Victoria (Lucas) Smith.

He is also survived by his sister, Leota Kassler of Chariton; his brother, Robert (Joyce) Hay of Marion; and many nieces and nephews.

Don also lovingly claimed as stepchildren Sandy's son, J. Jay (Ketra) Stumpf of Pasco, Wash.; and grandsons, 2nd Lt. Brandon Stumpf in the United States Army and Devyn Stumpf; and Sandy's very special daughter, Annette (Millege Stacy) Cobb of Kennewick, Wash., grandson Kelly (Chancy) and great-granddaughter Kaylee Cobb.

In due course, a Veterans Administration headstone will be set for Captain Hay at the burial site in Marion. It will be inscribed "PRO ARIS ET FOCIS" ("For God and Country").

Don requested that any memorials be directed to the Tri-Cities Chaplaincy, 1480 Fowler, Richland, WA 99352; whose very caring and compassionate people helped both Don and Sandy navigate the last few course settings of his final voyage through life.

May you have fair winds and following seas, Captain Hay.

Memorial services with military honors were held in Kennewick, Wash., on Aug. 30, 2014. A private graveside service will be held at 3 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 27, 2014, at Oak Shade Cemetery, Marion, Iowa.