James Alexander Hay

It is with a heavy heart that we announce the death of James (Jim) Alexander Hay. Jim passed away on March 31, 2022 at age 88. 

Jim was predeceased by his parents Alexander and Doris Hay; his first wife Mary Hay; daughter Jackie Hay; brothers Eric and Keith; sisters Hazel, Shirley and Pat; son-in-law Kory Davis; and grandsons Joshua Dennis and Brandon Begg-Dennis.

Jim leaves to mourn his wife Louise Hay; son Keith Hay (Rosalyn); grandson Jerry Stilborn (Ebony); son-in-law Lawrence Baker; chosen children Brenda Milligan-Davis, Debra Ozan, Lisa Dennis, Jered Dennis (Yevette) and James Dennis (Jen); sisters Dorothy (Glen) Campbell and Carol (Tom) Kowalchuk; brother Ken (Olive) Hay; his beloved grandchildren Kaige, Kai, Chloe, Sara (Seb) Fournier, Laura (Jorge) Ainhoa, Shannon Baker, Ben Baker, Mike (Michelle) Storry, Steven (Bree) Storry, and Charlie-Anne Ozan; great-grandchildren Mason, Max, Zayden, Kaitlyn, Jack, Abby, Ember, Neytiri, Tylan, Justus, Enzo, Austin, Macarena, Melachi, Aiden, Daniel, Saxon, Greydon, Frankie, Able and Arly; as well as countless nieces and nephews, adored friends, church members and coworkers. 

Jim was born June 12, 1933 at home in the NE section 35-20-W (Clan William Municipality, Manitoba). Jim was the second oldest of nine Hay children. Life as a child on the farm had a lot of love and lots of chores. On Jim's first day of Grade 8 he walked into school to find a teacher who was shorter than him and not much older than he was. He decided someone smaller than him was not going to boss him around so he left and never went back to school again. 

Jim began to work and contribute to the family income. As a teen he cut cord wood for local farmers, had a trap line and sold the muskrat pelt he caught. He then caught his lady Mary and after tying the knot with her they had their daughter Jackie and son Keith. Jim had many jobs. He drove a furniture truck, worked on the railroad and at IPSCO.  It was there he got the idea to start his own very successful business called Hay Petroleum. He built bulk plants for Golf, Shell and other leading petroleum companies. Jim, always a go getter, even got his pilot’s license and bought a Cessna airplane which he flew between his business ventures. Jim retired at age 52 from the company he built, sold his Cessna and built, with his own hands, a “Quickie Aircraft 2”.

After Mary’s sudden passing, lifelong friends Jim and Louise bonded. Their friendship blossomed into love and Louise became his “sweetheart” and they married. Together they filled their home with tons of love, laughter and blended children. When his precious “super pals” Kaige, Kai and Khloe came along Jim was extremely proud and spent much of his time with them, teaching them to fish and fix/do all the things you need to know. Jim, always a man of God, was also an avid fisherman, hunter, berry picker and gardener. In his later years he got around on a motorized trike to his many garden patches all across the city. Jim and Louise canned and froze all of the vegetables and shared them with their family, neighbors and beloved church friends.  In January 2018, Jim and Louise babysat a Tea Cup Chihuahua pup named Cheemo and Jim fell in love again which led to him getting his own Chihuahua which he lovingly named Bugzy. Bugzy, his constant companion, stayed by Jim’s side until the end and even visited him in both the hospital and hospice. Jim passed away peacefully with his sweetheart Louise by his side. Jim (Daddio) will be missed by Bugzy and all those who loved him.

Graveside Service will be held on Monday, April 25, 2022 at Riverside Memorial Park, Regina, SK (please meet at cemetery gate at 12:30 p.m.). A Come & Go Tea will follow the graveside service from 1:00 – 4:00 p.m. at the Eagles Club, 1600 Halifax Street, Regina, SK. All are welcome to attend with an open mic ceremony, as well as dainties, coffee and tea to be served.