James J. Hayes

James J. Hayes of Polk City, Florida and Hampton, New Hampshire, formerly of Waltham, died February 18, 2026 at Lakeland Regional Medical Center in Lakeland, Florida. He was 93.

He leaves his beloved wife Patricia A. (Scannell) Hayes, with whom he shared over 70 years of marriage since their wedding on June 19, 1955; his children, Joyce E. MacDowell of Hampton, New Hampshire, Pamela J. Keir (the late David) of Hampton, New Hampshire, and Paula M. Hughes (John) of Waltham; his grandchildren, Heather Richards, Bruce MacDowell Jr. (Dani), Clayton MacDowell (Liz), Allison Keir, Meredith Bonner (Lee), James Hayes III (Emily), John Hughes Jr. (Lyndsay), and Jacqueline Hughes (Timothy Leonard); his great-grandchildren, Charlie and Oliver Richards, Wesley and Liana Hayes, Greyson and Marshal Bonner, Brady and Henry Hughes, and Alexandria MacDowell; his siblings, Albert “Rusty” Hayes Jr. (Weston) of Ogunquit, Maine, Richard Hayes (Nancy) of Lebanon, Tennessee, Rose Browning of Wilmington, and Genesta Catton of Tyngsboro.

Jim was predeceased by his siblings, Robert Hayes, Barbara Dudek, Joan Zampitella, and Margaret Trumbour.

Family and friends will honor and remember Jim’s life by gathering for an Evening Wake at the Joyce Funeral Home, 245 Main Street (Rte. 20), Waltham from 4 to 7 p.m. on Wednesday, April 29th and again on Thursday morning, April 30th at 9 a.m. before leaving in procession to Our Lady Comforter of the Afflicted Church, 880 Trapelo Road, Waltham where his Funeral Mass will be celebrated at 10 a.m. Burial will follow with military honors in Mount Feake Cemetery, Waltham.

COMPLETE OBITUARY TO FOLLOW