Robert "Bob" Hays

Robert Scott Hays passed away Sunday, December 5, 2021, at his home in Lexington, North Carolina. Bob was born on September 27, 1958, in Los Angeles County, California.

Bob was utterly devoted to Julianne, his wife, love of his life, and best friend of 27 years, and their daughter Allison (Al). He grew up in the San Fernando Valley with his brother Bryan, who was not only a sibling but also, along with his wife Lynneve, a beloved lifelong friend. Bob’s infectious warmth, sense of humor, and positive attitude lit up every room he entered. His work ethic spoke volumes, and he will always be remembered for his perfectly timed jokes and store selfies. While he has left us far too soon, he lived an adventurous and fun life, making a magnitude of an impact in the business community while also being the most loving husband and father.

Bob was a highly respected, admired, and dynamic leader among his colleagues at every company he worked for, taking great pride in his professional accomplishments within the grocery industry. He started working at Vons in California as a teenager bagging groceries, realizing how much he loved the relational aspect of grocery, and thus began his successful career path. Most recently, Bob was extremely proud to serve as the Vice President of Retail Stores at Lowes Foods in North Carolina. He took pride in filling out the “Y’all” cards for employees. One month, he wrote over 100 cards; employees would come up to him months later and tell him how much the card he wrote meant to them. Bob felt it was important that people heard from upper management that they were doing a good job. It didn’t matter if someone was a janitor, a checker, a deli clerk, or the president - Bob always treated people with genuine respect and sincerity and led with integrity.

While Bob achieved tremendous success in business, he was very humble, serving as a mentor and coach to numerous colleagues. He will be remembered as a problem solver, team player, and an incredible public speaker and strategist. Although Bob's work accomplishments were substantial, his greatest joy was being Julianne’s husband and Al’s dad. Together, they will always be B, J, and A. From driving the Jeep on the beach at Fort Fisher to playing Rummikub, quoting every scene from the movie “Airplane!”, and watching “Jeopardy”, Bob went to great lengths to make sure his family was happy. Whether they were traveling cross-country to visit beloved family in CA, raving over his amazing baby-back rib dinners, or simply jamming out to rock music in the car -- Bob greatly cherished the times they spent as a family.

Bob and Julianne were inseparable -- journeying through life together and always putting love and respect at the forefront of their incredible marriage. They had countless inside jokes, from Julianne getting the lyrics to “The Beverly Hillbillies” wrong -- and Bob always getting them right -- to Bob’s perfect whistling of “The Andy Griffith Show”. Quite simply, Julianne would say that Bob filled her life with fun, an abundance of laughter, and love every day. Bob took immense joy and pride in watching Al grow up, always jumping at the chance to ride bikes, read her “Goodnight Moon” before bed, play board games, and go fishing with her. Al is grateful that her dad loved sharing his values and thoughtful advice with her. Bob enjoyed making memories with not only her but also her friends, sharing jokes and fun times. Allison was and still is his pride and joy. He also enjoyed playing with Frankie, the family cat, and watching him chase a laser pointer around the house. Bob is the bravest, kindest, and most loving man Julianne and Allison have ever known.

Bob made an impact on everyone he met and will continue to be a role model, an icon, and a celebrated and deeply loved man. To know Bob is to love Bob; everyone who knows Bob knows he is up in Heaven blasting his favorite heavy metal and hard rock, riding his Harley, and taking funny selfies by the pool.

Bob is survived by his wife, Julianne Rose Hays; daughter, Allison Noelle Hays; parents, Donald Roy Hays and Shirley (Doey) May Miller Hays; brother, Bryan Hays (Lynneve); nieces, Sara Hays Kalb (Brian), and Megan Hays Pratchard (Christopher); and brother-in-law, Bill Rose. Additionally, he is survived by his aunt and uncle Joanie and Walter Horne; aunt, Dani Hays; cousins, Jim Horne (Cathy), Greg Horne (Mirna), Lainie Garcia (Vicki), Jennifer Garrido (Aaron), Andy Horne (Stacy), Shawn Sipes (Steve), Susan McMurray (Scott), Janet Bertolus, Kathy Hickey, and Tom Hickey (Rita). Bob is also survived by many more cousins, great nieces, and great nephews. He was preceded in death by his uncle Roy Hays.

One of Bob’s favorite quotes was: “To the world you may be one person, but to one person you may be the world.”

A Celebration of Life Service will be held for Bob on Wednesday, December 15th, 2021 from 2:00-5:00 pm at the Village Inn Hotel & Event Center at 6205 Ramada Dr. Clemmons, NC 27012. (336)-766-9121.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations in Bob’s honor may be made to https://carcinoid.kindful.com.

Online condolences may be made at www.hayworth-miller.com.