Clinton Jack Hays, age 66, of Kingston, Okla., unexpectedly entered into the Kingdom of Heaven on March 2, 2024.
Clint was born March 11, 1957, in Purcell, Okla., to Jack and Donna Hays. He was the first of four children. Clint attended several schools growing up until the family found a permanent home in Pauls Valley where he became a star athlete in both football and track. He was a state champion in both the 120-meter hurdles and the 300-meter hurdles and earned the honor of All-State track. Clint graduated from high school in 1975 and attended Eastern Oklahoma State College in Wilburton, Ok on a track scholarship.
Clint worked in auto body repair most of his adult life and his love of track led him to volunteer as a track coach at Purcell High School where he helped coach a state champion hurdler. Clint loved being at the lake and would go every weekend he could until retiring and moving there permanently in 2018.
Clint’s dearest and happiest moments came when his daughter Holly was born in 1984 and he married the love of his life, Robin Maria (Duty) Hays on September 6, 1989. He adored his wife and daughter and loved his family and his lake family. He enjoyed fishing, boating, gardening, building things and any activity where he was outside and surrounded by family and friends.
Clint was known for his witty sense of humor, telling funny stories, making people laugh and his award-winning salsa. But most of all Clint was known as that person who always made those around him feel they were the most important person in the world and believed the purpose in life was just to be happy.
He often said, “we live in the greatest place on earth so there is no time to be upset or be bothered by what you can’t control, just be happy” and that is how he lived his life. He often told his wife “Honey if I died today just know I have lived the best life anyone could have lived and will go out happy.” Clint was an amazing father, husband and friend and will be sorely missed. He will be our hero forever!
He was preceded in death by his father, Jack William Hays; his mother-in-law, Barbara Duty; his father-in-law, Wesley Duty; grandparents, Curtis and Della Melton, Bill and Etta Hays, Ollie and Earlene Sweetman and William and Addie Duty; aunts and uncles, Larry Melton, Jim and Phyliss Hays, Allen and Sue Skaggs, Linda Lee, Jimmy and Joyce Sweetman, Paul Sweetman and nieces and nephews, Stephanie Don Schweitzer and Ricky Betancur.
He leaves behind his wife, Robin Hays of the home; his daughter, Holly Hays and Aaron Morris of Valentine, Nebraska; his mother, Donna Hays of Norman; his sister, Lisa Howard of Norman; his brothers, Kirby Hays and wife, Robin, of Mebane, NC, and Kirk Hays and wife, Jana, of Tulsa and numerous nieces and nephews, great nieces and nephews, many friends and one Gran dog, Miko.
Services to celebrate the life of Clinton Hays will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday, March 9, 2024, at Brown’s Funeral Service Chapel in Durant, Okla.
Arrangements are under the direction of Brown’s Durant Funeral Service and Crematory.
