Harvey Hayes

St. Martinville- A service of remembrance will be held at 2:00 pm on Monday, March 13, 2023, at Pellerin Funeral Home in St. Martinville for Harvey Hayes, 78, who passed away on March 1, 2023, at Our Lady of Lourdes.

A visitation will take place at the funeral home on Monday from 10:00 AM until service time. A rosary will be prayed at 2:00 pm.

Thomas Harvey Hayes, better known as Harvey, was born and raised in New Iberia. He was a 1963 graduate of Catholic High School, where he was a star basketball player. Harvey attended The University of Louisiana for a short time before enlisting in the United States Army. Ending his army career as a SP-5, he then started on his adventure to find a career that he would love and dedicate most of his life to. He landed a job in the oilfield working as a drilling foreman for Amoco. He later became a consultant/company man drilling one of the deepest wells with a total depth of 31,000 feet.

He had a passion for breeding, raising, and racing thoroughbred and quarter horses; his interest in racehorses goes back to childhood days spent at the bush tracks of Cajun Country. He became a member of the American Quarter Horse Association. In the late 1980's two of his broodmares did as well as some of biggest breeders in the state. In 2019 his very own Gail Force won the Mardi Gras Futurity. In his spare time, he loved horse racing, old western movies, raising American game fowl, and spending time with his family and friends.

If you asked him his greatest accomplishments, he would mention being a father to his only child, John Thomas Hayes. John was Harvey's pride and joy in which he instilled many of his good qualities, especially his work ethic. His greatest gifts were his grandchildren. His heart melted the first day he laid eyes on them. He loved being their PawPaw. He met his wife Kathy 28 years ago and it was love at first sight. They shared many good times together and taught each other many life lessons. They shared their love for God and taught their grandchildren to always put God first.

He will be remembered as a loving husband, father, grandfather, friend, and company man who will be greatly missed by all who knew and loved him.

He is survived by his wife of 28 years, Kathy Dupre Hayes; daughter-in-law, Lacie Broussard; brother, Patrick Darron Hayes; and his grandchildren, Sullivan Hayes, Reece Hayes, and Layne Schlabach.

He is preceded in death by his parents Joseph and Lucille Matthews Hayes; son, John Thomas Hayes; and his step-son, Barlow James Dupuis.

Pellerin Funeral Home, 112 New Market St., St. Martinville, LA 70582 (337-332-2111) is in charge of arrangements.