Christopher Hayes

Services:  Per his wishes, no services will be held. A memorial gathering will be announced at a later date.

Chris (Christopher) Scott Hayes was born on January 17, 1972, to James Hayes Jr. and Sharon Hayes [nee King] in St. Joseph, Missouri. He was the first and oldest grandchild for both sides. He later moved from St. Joseph to Lake of the Ozarks, Missouri, where he graduated from Camdenton High. In 1992 Chris fathered his only biological child, his daughter Shelby, who is his carbon copy in almost every way. He married his first wife, Cheryl Nelson, in 1998 and immediately stepped into the role of father to Scott Nelson and Ashley Wrinkle [nee Nelson].  Even though Cheryl and Chris later divorced, he would remain a loving and active father to Ashley and Scott, always doing his best to be there for them anytime and to champion for them always. In 2010, after exhaustively searching for his biological daughter, Chris was able to reconnect with Shelby when she was 18 and the two of them picked up almost as if no time had passed at all.

Chris has had many professions in his life, one of them being a Unionized Iron Worker based out of Nebraska, he ended his time there and became a traveler. He became passionate about the safety of his co-workers on site which would motivate Chris to pursue an education and career in safety management, his lifelong calling.  He was a regional safety manager across Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Florida, and Texas. While in Louisiana, he met the love of his life and his best friend, who he later married, Melissa Hayes [nee Stevens], in February 2015. He took Melissa on their first date to Buffalo Wild Wings in Slidell, Louisiana, where he shocked Melissa by ordering a Bloody Mary with gin. When asked years later about the drink, he replied with, “I wanted to make a lasting first impression.” He later was hired with Cupertino Electric Inc., where he would accept his first position in Altoona, Iowa, and was later relocated to Las Lunas, New Mexico but would live with Melissa in Albuquerque. Melissa and Chris were united in marriage on October 14, 2017. With their wedding officiated by Shelby, the two were surrounded by all five of their children and their spouses, friends, and extended families. Chris enthusiastically stepped into the role of dad to Katherine Stevens and Rebecca Shally and Papa to, at the time, two more grandchildren. He was proud to be a bonus dad to a son-in-law who was a member of the US Navy. Chris could be heard talking about any or all of his five children at any given time.  In May of 2018, Chris was relocated, by Cuppertino Electric Inc, back to Altoona where he was able to work hand in hand with the IBEW L.U. 347, and many travelers IBEW locals across the United States. Altoona is where he and Melissa would live for five years. In 2022, Chris and Melissa would move to Greenfield, Iowa, to purchase their dream home, a beautiful century-old farmhouse. After filling their home with memories, laughter, and love, he was suddenly called to be with our Heavenly Father on Friday, July  21, 2023, in Des Moines, Iowa.

On any given weekend, Chris could be found in his boat on a lake, walking a field, sitting in a duck blind, perched in a deer stand, on a hiking trail, or casting into a stream. He was an avid outdoorsman, wildlife conservationist, and lover of the land. Chris passed his love of wild game onto his children; for example, Chris and Scott completed a lifelong dream and went on an elk hunting trip in Colorado to celebrate Scott’s 30’th birthday.  During this trip Chris was able to witness his son down his first elk, which filled him with an incredible amount of pride. Chris and Melissa also spent most of their free time outdoors. They had the opportunity to fly fish across New Mexico and the Iowa, Wisconsin, and Minnesota driftless and would make yearly pilgrimages to Battle Lake, Minnesota for the walleye open. It wasn’t just Chris’s own children he imparted his passions onto, he was also readily available to teach and instruct people of all ages on hunting, fishing, and everything outdoors. He was enthusiastic about teaching and instructing for Delta Waterfowl (Capitol Callers) and Raised At Full Draw. Chris often would utilize unique and memorable methods to teach whatever subject he was instructing on, which would leave a lasting impression on whomever attended his classes. 

For someone who loved to hunt as much as he did, it would come as no surprise he had an appetite for BBQ. He won numerous BBQ competitions and routinely prepared wild games for anyone who would share a meal with him. Between hunting seasons, Chris could be found on the golf course playing 18 holes and talking trash to whoever had the opportunity to play with him. Chris was an enthusiastic Amazon shopper. Recycling bins could be filled weekly by the amount of Amazon boxes delivered to the door. The Amazon drivers would have had to know Chris by name with the number of trips they would take to the house. As an avid sticker collector, he would place them on lunch boxes, laptops, water jugs, coolers, and hard hats. Everyone who met Chris loved him. His generosity knew no bounds; whether it was a friend wanting to get involved in an interest he had or giving to those in need. Chris never met a stranger; he could talk to anyone for the first time and make you feel like you were speaking with an old friend. Above all, his favorite hobby would be a loving husband, father, Papa, and friend.

He was preceded in death by his father James Hayes Jr.; his first wife Cheryl Hayes; and father-in-law Donald Stevens.

Chris is survived by his wife Melissa Hayes; children Shelby Hayes [m. Dana], Ashley Wrinkle, Scott Nelson [m. Emily], Katherine Stevens, and Rebecca Shally [m. Triston]; several grandchildren; Mother Sharon King [m. Mike]; Sister Stephanie Preston [m. Kenny]; and many nieces, nephews, Aunts, and Uncles.

A memorial fund will be established at a later date.