Clifford Oliver Hays, Jr.'s Obituary
Clifford “Cliff” O. Hays, Jr. 83, a longtime resident of Gainesville, Florida, died Tuesday, July 30, 2024, at the E. T. York Hospice Care Center in Gainesville, following a brief illness.
Cliff was born in Savannah, Georgia on July 14, 1941, to the late Clifford and Marguereit Hays and grew up in the little nearby town of Meldrim. He graduated with his Bachelor’s (BCE) and Master’s (MSCE) from Georgia Tech and went on to receive his Doctorate (PhD) from the University of Texas. In 1971, he took the role of Professor of Civil Engineering at the University of Florida, a position he held until his retirement in 2006. Cliff was also a long-term member and former president of the North Florida Section of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE).
Cliff enjoyed playing tennis as a member of the 300 Club well into his eighties. He was also an avid local fisherman.
He is survived by his wife of 62 years, Joyce Hays, of Gainesville; one son, Kenneth (Nancy) Hays, of Williston; one grandson, Steven Hays, of Chicago, IL; and one granddaughter, Miranda Hays of Boston, MA.
A memorial service will be held on Saturday, August 3, 2024, at 12:00 p.m., in the Chapel of Williams-Thomas Downtown Funeral Home at 404 North Main Street in Gainesville, with a reception to follow. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the American Heart Association, at www.heart.org.
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