Lorren ‘Rex’ Hayes, 87 of Hastings, died Monday, January 21, 2013 at Sutton Community Home in Sutton.

Services will be at 10:00 am on Friday, January 25, 2013 at Brand-Wilson Funeral Home in Hastings. Burial will be at Ft. McPherson National Cemetery near Maxwell. Visitation will be on Thursday evening from noon until 9 pm at the funeral home. Memorials are suggested to the Ainsworth Nebraska American Legion. Brand-Wilson Funeral Home is serving the family. Condolences may be sent to the family from www.brandwilson.com.

Rex Hayes was born on February 23, 1925 in Republic County, Kansas, the son of Harman and Ruth (Kimball) Hayes. He attended school at Blue Mound Country School in Republican County, Kansas until 5th grade when his father became ill and the family moved to Superior. They moved to Hastings when he was in the 7th grade and Rex graduated from Hastings High School in 1942. He enlisted in the United States Army Air Corp on February 4, 1944. He was a Tail Gunner with the 493rd Bomb Group on a B-17 Bomber involved in 25 missions over Germany. He achieved the rank of Staff Sergeant before his honorable discharge on November 13, 1945.

Rex was united in marriage to Dorothy Reimers on April 18, 1946 in Smith Center, Kansas. The couple lived in Hastings, Holdrege and then moved to Ainsworth in 1957. He was a salesman for Dutton-Lainson. They moved to Hastings in 1997. Dorothy died on August 6, 1998.

Rex was a member of the American Legion and the VFW. He especially enjoyed time spent with his family.

He is survived by a son and daughter-in-law; Richard and Anita Hayes of Clay Center, daughter and son-in-law; Donna and Floyde Anderson of Ong, NE, 7 grandchildren; James Lorren and Sherri Hayes of Geneva, Mike and Ashley Hayes of Greensborough, NC, Amelia and Michael McCumbers of Fairhope, Alabama, Jon Anderson of Geneva, Lorren David and Mackenzie Anderson of Travis AFB, California, Tim and Lindsay Anderson of Geneva, and Chris Anderson of Omaha, 8 great-grandchildren; Nick and Ellie Hayes, Natalie, Noah and Nash McCumbers, Jackson and Jacob Hayes and Adelyn Anderson, and a sister; Grace Heiser of Des Moines, IA.

He was preceded in death by his wife Dorothy, a great-granddaughter; Nora McCumbers, brother; Merle Hayes and sisters; Mabel Richeson and Gracia Jurgna.