A well-lived life, stuffed with homilies and hymnals, rafts of painted canvases, and shelves groaning with the weight of annotated tomes, came to a swift close after 90 years.

Grieving the loss but celebrating this remarkable life are his wife of nearly 7 years, Helen; his children Catherine (Rod) and Jonathan (Jane); grandchildren Charlotte and Juliette, brother Tom (Kay) with great-nephew Andrew and sister-in-law Lynn Carmichael; the extended Hendry family; and many friends made in throughout the many years in churches he called home, in pulpit or pew.

Stephen is pre-deceased by the inimitable Moira Anne Hayes, his wife of some 50 years; brother-in-law Ken Carmichael; great niece Mary-Jo and, long-ago by his parents Yulia and Tamas.

The Rev. Dr. Stephen Hayes was the youngest son of two hard-working Hungarian immigrants to Canada who raised their boys in homes from Toronto's Annex neighbourhood to the city's east end. Stephen was proud to share his alma mater with his youngest grandchild, Juliette, as she enters her last year at Riverdale Collegiate Institute. He attended variously, University of Toronto, Cambridge University, McGill University, earning his Masters of Divinity at Knox College, University of Toronto. A life of dedicated to ministry in the Presbyterian church serving at congregations in Montreal, Cobourg, North Bay, Ottawa, Quebec City, and Halifax followed. Among his books, his authorship of the church's modern statement of faith, Living Faith, is a capstone legacy.

The family extends our gratitude for those hospital staff at Oakville Trafalgar Memorial Hospital. The kindness and professionalism we encountered there shone a light at a very dark time.

A funeral celebrating the life of the Rev. Dr. Hayes will be Thursday, September 10 at 11 AM at Knox Presbyterian Church, 89 Dunn Street, Oakville with a reception to follow. Donations can be made to the Canadian Cancer Society in Stephen's name.