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Orval Hays, 82, of Afton, formerly of Diagonal, died April 4, 2014, at Great Regional Medical Center in Creston.
Funeral services will be 2 p.m. Tuesday, April 8, at Watson-Armstrong Funeral Home in Diagonal. The Rev. Ed Shields will officiate. Burial will be in East Fairview Cemetery in Lenox. Military rites will be conducted by Williamson American Legion Post No. 719. Visitation will be 5 to 7 p.m. today at the funeral home. A memorial fund will be used for something in Orval's memory at Fogle Lake in Diagonal. Online condolences may be left at www.watsonarmstrongfh.com.
Orval Hays, son of Nellie (Johnson) and Virgil Hays, was born Oct. 1, 1931, in rural Diagonal.
Orval graduated from Diagonal High School in 1950.
Orval served in the U.S. Army, in a MASH unit, during the Korean War; he was honorably discharged in 1954.
In December 1952, Orval married Georgia Hancock. He was later divorced.
In 1977, Orval married Ula Hampton.
Orval lived in rural Taylor and Ringgold counties before moving to Afton in 2010.
Orval farmed in Ringgold and Taylor counties. He was also a feed salesman for Moorman’s Feed Company. Orval was employed by the U.S. Postal Service and served as an officer on the Creston Police Force. Orval was employed for many years by Creston Tractor Sales (which later became Barker Implement). This is where he retired from.
Orval is survived by his wife Ula Hays of Afton; sons, Jim Hays of Morrison, Ill., John (Lori) Hays of Creston and Gary (Kathy) Hays of Afton; grandchildren, William (Dane) Hays, Aaron Hays, Miranda Hays, Samantha (Brandon) Whitfield, Candy (Carlo) Ligotti, Maria (Brad) Dukes and Nakia (Jordy) Reha; nine great-grandchildren; brother Art (Carol) Hays of Council Bluffs; sister Lois Irwin of Exira; stepbrother Manard Dolecheck of Louisiana; in-laws, Vera (Rich) Duff of Adel and Elaine Millsap of Ravenwood, Mo.; nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.
Orval was preceded in death by his parents; stepmother Mildred Hays; stepsister Ann Iwed; and special aunt and uncle Bessie and Lee Trenkle.