Loveable larrikin remembered
Jeffrey Hayes
April 16, 1984 – August 3,2020
By Taylor Clyne
August 19, 2020
Friends and family gathered last Monday afternoon at the Winnaleah Football Grounds to farewell a man larger than life Jeffrey Hayes, taken too soon by a brain aneurysm at his home in Derby.
Haysie had a personality that people were attracted to. He was loud, proud, hardworking, clever, a great father and as mad as a snake.
A friend described him as ‘so plugged into living’ which could be seen in many aspects of his life from loving the outdoors, Musselroe Bay where his shack sat beside his mate Macca’s, diving, fishing, eating potatoes and drinking green draught beer.
Jeffrey was the eldest son of Kail and Derek and big brother and best friend of Matthew (Molly).
He was born at the Queen Victoria Hospital in Launceston on April 16, 1984 and went to Winnaleah and Branxholm Primary School and then onto Scottdale High School.
His mum Kail said he made friends wherever he went and that was a testament to his personality, always ready to give people ‘a proper shoeshine.’
“He loved people, parties, jokes, and had lots of unusual sayings that are now renowned throughout the universe.
“Jeffrey always had time and gave time to the elderly which in turn meant many cups of tea and chin wags,” she recalls.
Kicking off his working career Jeffrey was an apprentice for Gill Withington as a joiner, ever the entrepreneur he finished his apprenticeship early at 18 years old and six months to start his own business.
He opened Nu-Tech Kitchens and Joinery, which he was very successful at and was still doing to the day.
Jeffrey was a true community person and loved the North-East, he played football for Branxholm as a junior and went onto Winnaleah and Bridport in his senior years.
In 2013, Jeffrey’s life changed forever when his son Kaiden was born with his then partner Tash Hill, on the top of the Sideling on the way to the hospital!
Kaiden was the centre of his life and they spent many days fishing, woodcutting, mountain biking and causing a muck together.
In the early beginnings of mountain bikes at Derby Jeffrey was a strong supporter and very influential to its success.
He was known across the world for his hospitality and good old country party antics at his self-made, self-named bars The Shit Monkey and The Crack House.
He was the life of the party, he brought people together and kept them warm too, supplying the whole town with firewood.
Jeffrey spent the past two years with the love of his life Amanda Grubb, their connection was strong and together they formed a family of four with her daughter Brambles (Fawn).
Molly said he was the best big brother a man could ever ask for.
“You were my best mate and you wore your massive heart on the very end of your sleeve.”
In March this year Jeffrey was given the five year all clear after suffering from Hodgkin lymphoma during his late twenties.
Enduring a lot in his short life, nothing seemed to bother his larrikin fun loving ways.
Donned in an array of bush flowers for his send off, family and friends wore Jeffrey’s well-known merchandise and gave him the send-off he deserved.
A fundraiser in Jeffrey’s honour was started on the day to support the construction of a memorial statue of Jeffrey nonetheless so there will always be a place to go and share stories together.
More than $8,500 was raised at his funeral and a further $8,800 (and counting) online for the Jeffrey Hayes Memorial alongside other local fundraisers and jumper sales.
Giddy up Haysie, you will be missed by many.