One of the memories I have always carried with me was when I went home on vacation from LA to Lilliwaup, and my Mom (now deceased) told me that my good buddy, Rollie, was at St Peter's Hospital suffering from cancer. For some reason, I thought the hospital was in Seattle and decided not to make the trip. Rollie passed away soon afterwards, and to this day I regret not going to visit, as he was one of my good friends in high school. I played a lot of JV Basketball with him, as he was a good athlete. After school we used to go to his house and he had a 8 foot basket up where he used to dunk, and then say to me: "See Hays, that is how Alcindor does it, grrrr....kill"
We double dated a lot with my girlfriend at the time Julie Ziegler, and his gal, Cheryl Meeks. Rollie played wingback in football, and also ran track, and was a very good athlete. However, he was one of the best musicians at school, as he played the trombone, and also sang in the school choir. He also lead the pep band during basketball games etc. He didn't play basketball our senior year, and I used to sit on the end of the bench during the home games, until Rollie would get the entire band to chant: We want Hays; we want Hays...Coach Jack Wright would get up, and point to me, so I could play the last 30 seconds of the games. A huge cheer used to go up when I entered, even if we were losing. Hey, got my letter! I remember when Rollie borrowed his parents' new mustang and it was snowing. We were up on Mountain View and he slid it into the ditch, and almost died of a heart attack. Somehow, he and I got it back on the road, and I don't think his parents ever found out. After high school, we worked together at the Forest Service in Hoodsport, and had lots of fund working out in the wilds. I recall when Rollie and I visited Tommie Marshall, and the neighbors had a small horse, so Rollie climbed up with a big smile, and promptly was bucked off. I think that ended his equestrian career; of course we on the ground laughed til we ran out of breath.
I will forever miss Rollie; his smile and laughter; and understand that the US Forest Service put up a plaque at the Packwood Ranger Station, where he last worked. Hope to visit there one day.
Mike Hays (1967)
One of the memories I have always carried with me was when I went home on vacation from LA to Lilliwaup, and my Mom (now deceased) told me that my good buddy, Rollie, was at St Peter's Hospital suffering from cancer. For some reason, I thought the hospital was in Seattle and decided not to make the trip. Rollie passed away soon afterwards, and to this day I regret not going to visit, as he was one of my good friends in high school. I played a lot of JV Basketball with him, as he was a good athlete. After school we used to go to his house and he had a 8 foot basket up where he used to dunk, and then say to me: "See Hays, that is how Alcindor does it, grrrr....kill"
We double dated a lot with my girlfriend at the time Julie Ziegler, and his gal, Cheryl Meeks. Rollie played wingback in football, and also ran track, and was a very good athlete. However, he was one of the best musicians at school, as he played the trombone, and also sang in the school choir. He also lead the pep band during basketball games etc. He didn't play basketball our senior year, and I used to sit on the end of the bench during the home games, until Rollie would get the entire band to chant: We want Hays; we want Hays...Coach Jack Wright would get up, and point to me, so I could play the last 30 seconds of the games. A huge cheer used to go up when I entered, even if we were losing. Hey, got my letter! I remember when Rollie borrowed his parents' new mustang and it was snowing. We were up on Mountain View and he slid it into the ditch, and almost died of a heart attack. Somehow, he and I got it back on the road, and I don't think his parents ever found out. After high school, we worked together at the Forest Service in Hoodsport, and had lots of fund working out in the wilds. I recall when Rollie and I visited Tommie Marshall, and the neighbors had a small horse, so Rollie climbed up with a big smile, and promptly was bucked off. I think that ended his equestrian career; of course we on the ground laughed til we ran out of breath.
I will forever miss Rollie; his smile and laughter; and understand that the US Forest Service put up a plaque at the Packwood Ranger Station, where he last worked. Hope to visit there one day.