Robert L. Hays passed away on January 16th, 2026 at the age of 94. Born on a Densmore Kansas farm May 27, 1931, he worked on the family farm and attended a one room school before attending Almena High School. Graduating high school in 1948, he farmed, worked at Boeing in Wichita, Kansas and entered the Air Force. While in the Air Force he married Etta Jane Voss on May 12,1953, a union which lasted over 63 years.

After his honorable discharge in 1953, he returned to family farm in Kansas.  On March 3, 1954 Kathy was born and Phil was born on December 13, 1955. Robert left farming in 1956 to attend college on the GI bill, moving his family to Lawrence. At the University of Kansas, he obtained a BS in Electrical Engineering in 1960. He joined the Bureau of Reclamation after graduation and settled in Golden, Colorado. While working full time, he built a beautiful house with very little assistance and moved his family into the house in 1963. The last child, Paul was born November 3, 1965. Robert remained in the house until shortly before his passing, living alone after the passing of Jane 9 years previous.

During his electric engineering work he developed a widely used safety procedure for working on high voltage lines. Robert always enjoyed working with his hands, making several pieces of legacy furniture and several clocks. After he retired, he and Jane traveled extensively overseas and then to blue grass music festivals in the States and Canada. In the winters, they wrote and published 15 books on both family history and the results of Jane's genealogy research. The books were distributed around the country during their travels and by mail. After Jane passed away, Bob worked as a volunteer at the Golden Visitor Center until late last year.

He is survived by his three children, Kathy, Phillip, and Paul, their spouses, his four grandchildren Peter and David Stang and Kyle and Tyler Hays, three great grandchildren Connor, Jessamyn, and Emmett Hays, and his sister Rose Getty.

Robert was a lifetime learner and made friends throughout his life. He knew how to share good, clean fun with others, and to work hard and smart. He was a gentleman, loving, generous, and kind.

There will be no funeral or memorial service. Robert's ashes will be buried next to Jane's in the Norton Kansas County Cemetery.

If anyone wishes to make a donation in remembrance, please consider the American Cancer Society.