Kenneth “Ken” Nelson Hays, age 91, passed away on Thursday, October 29, 2026.
He is survived by his beloved wife of 60 years, Lynda Campbell Hays; daughter Tiffany Hays Arnold and her husband Clark; two sons, Johnny and his wife LeAnn, and Troy and his wife Cindy; six grandchildren, Anna Grace Arnold Darnell and her husband Neyland, Andrew Arnold and his wife Ashlee, Kathryn Hays, John Hays, Ty Hays, and Owen Hays; one great-grandchild, Conrad Darnell; two sisters, Leydonna Hays Dugger and her husband Jack, and Jeanie Hays Warren; and sister-in-law, Pat Warren Hays. He is preceded in death by his brother, Ronnie Hays, and brother-in-law, Rick Warren.
He was born on February 2, 1935, in Greenvale, Tennessee, to Leydon and Mamie Reecer Hays. When he was two years old, his family moved to Murfreesboro. He attended Crichlow Elementary and was a member of the 1953 graduating class of Murfreesboro Central High School. He represented the freshman class at the laying of the cornerstone for the completion of Central High School in 1949. He played football, and was elected president of the student body his senior year at Central. He attended Middle Tennessee State College and received a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics. He continued his education by attending the University of Tennessee, Knoxville where he received an additional Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering. During his career at the University of Tennessee, he was a member of Kappa Sigma Fraternity, and was chosen for Chi Epsilon, an honorary civil engineering fraternity as well as Tau Beta Pi, an honorary engineering fraternity.
After graduating from UT, he returned to Murfreesboro and in March of 1959, he accepted a position with Barge Waggoner, and Sumner, a consulting engineering firm in Nashville. He was with the firm 23 years, resigning in 1982. While with the firm, he was project manager on many road and street projects, drainage projects, and urban renewal projects. Among his Murfreesboro projects were the “Big Ditch” drainage project and McFadden Urban Renewal Project.
From 1983 to 1993, he worked for several consulting engineering firms in Murfreesboro namely Logan Hickerson and Associates, Smith Seckman and Reid, and Hickerson Harrison and Hays, of which he was a partner.
In 1993, he went to work with the Murfreesboro Water and Sewer Department as the staff engineer. In 1996, he was asked to be the Murfreesboro City Engineer, a position in which he held until his retirement in 2009.
He was a devoted member of Salem Creek Church of Christ (formerly Minerva Drive Church of Christ), where he previously served as a deacon and educational director. He was also instrumental in the planning and construction of the Salem Creek church building. He loved his family and friends deeply and was an avid supporter of all things University of Tennessee.
The family wishes to express their deepest gratitude to Dr. Thomas Helton and his staff, as well as the team at Ascension Saint Thomas Rutherford Hospital, for their care and support. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Salem Creek Church of Christ.
Visitation will be Sunday November 1st 1:00 PM to 5:00PM at Woodfin Memorial Chapel. Funeral service will be Monday November 2nd 10:00AM at Woodfin Memorial Chapel. Brother Ron Harper will officiate. Interment will follow in Evergreen Cemetery. www.woodfinchapel.com
