Lt. Col. Jack R. Hay, USAF, Retired

Lt. Col. Jack R Hay U.S.A.F. (retired), 79, passed away peacefully at his home in Biloxi on Friday, June 12, 2009. Lt. Col. Hay was born July 7, 1929 in Birmingham, AL. He served in the U. S. Air Force during the Korean Conflict, and the Vietnam War. In his early years of service in the Air Force he completed flight training, but spent most of career in the OSI. He retired as a Lieutenant Colonel after 24 years of service. He had been a resident of Biloxi since 1973. He was an alumnus of the University of Alabama. preceded in death by his parents, Albert and Mattie Hay; brothers, Albert Hay Jr. and David Hay; and the mother of his children Eleanor Hay, all of Birmingham, AL. Survived by his dearly beloved, devoted wife, Phyllis Gollott Hay of Biloxi, daughters, Carol Hay and Jackie Ray of Birmingham, AL; son, Michael Hay of Birmingham, AL, and five step sons Brian Gollott, Arny Gollott Jr., Dale Gollott, Nicky Gollott, and Ben Gollott, all of Biloxi, MS fourteen grandchildren, and ten great grandchildren. Col. Jack, as he was affectionately known, was a devoted, loving, loyal husband, father and grandfather. He had a degenerative eye disease which caused him to be completely blind, but he never let this disability get in the way of living life his way. Jack and Phyllis spent most of their life together traveling the world, catering to their children and grandchildren and enjoying life to the fullest. Visitation is 5 until 9 p.m. Sunday, June 14, 2009, at Bradford-O'Keefe Funeral Home, Howard Avenue, in Biloxi. Funeral service is 9 a.m. Monday at the funeral home chapel. Burial withmilitaryhonors is in Biloxi National Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, the family request memorials be made to the Mississippi Library for the Blind, 1-800-446-0892.