John F. Hayes (attorney)
Encyclopedia
John F. Hayes was a Kansas attorney and former majority leader of the Kansas House of Representatives
.
on December 11, 1919 the only child of J. Frank and Helen Dye Hayes. He graduated from Hutchinson High School, Hutchinson Community College, Washburn University
and Washburn Law School. While at Washburn, Hayes was initiated into the Kansas Beta Chapter of Phi Delta Theta
. While a student at Washburn Law, he and eight other fraternity brothers formed the Free Society of Gnip Gnop. They provided scholarships to Washburn law students for more than sixty years.
On August 10, 1950, he married Elizabeth "Betty" Ireton. Together they had two children, a son, Carl, and a daughter, Chandler. They were grandparents to five children and great grandparents to two children.
with service in the New Hebrides Islands and the Philippines
during World War II
. Upon his return home and graduation from law school, Hayes was a founding partner of the Gilliland & Hayes law firm, which has offices in Hutchinson, Wichita, Lawrence and Overland Park, Kansas. The firm celebrated its 50th anniversary on December 15, 2009.
Hayes was a Life Member of the National Conference of Commissioners on Uniform State Laws serving for more than 30 years, and a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers and the American Bar Foundation. He served as president of the Reno County Bar Association and the Kansas Association of Defense Counsel. He was a member of the American Bar Association
, Kansas Bar Association
and the Kansas Bar Foundation.
He was a long-time director of Central Bank & Trust in Hutchinson, Kansas
and Waddell & Reed Group of Funds
, Overland Park, Kansas. He also served as president of the Hutchinson Chamber of Commerce, Hutchinson Rotary Club, Hutchinson Town Club and Prairie Dunes Country Club
. Hayes also served as a director and district vice-president of the Kansas State Chamber of Commerce and vice-president of the Hutchinson Symphony.
and establishing the Law Enforcement Training Center in Hutchinson.
Kansas House of Representatives
The Kansas House of Representatives is the lower house of the Kansas Legislature, the legislative body of the U.S. State of Kansas. Composed of 125 state representatives from districts with roughly equal populations of at least 19,000, its members are responsible for crafting and voting on...
.
Early Life and Family
Hayes was born in Salina, KansasSalina, Kansas
Salina is a city in and the county seat of Saline County, Kansas, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 47,707. Located in one of the world's largest wheat-producing areas, Salina is a regional trade center for north-central Kansas...
on December 11, 1919 the only child of J. Frank and Helen Dye Hayes. He graduated from Hutchinson High School, Hutchinson Community College, Washburn University
Washburn University
Washburn University is a co-educational, public institution of higher learning in Topeka, Kansas, USA. It offers undergraduate and graduate programs, as well as professional programs in law and business. Washburn has 550 faculty members, who teach more than 6,400 undergraduate students and...
and Washburn Law School. While at Washburn, Hayes was initiated into the Kansas Beta Chapter of Phi Delta Theta
Phi Delta Theta
Phi Delta Theta , also known as Phi Delt, is an international fraternity founded at Miami University in 1848 and headquartered in Oxford, Ohio. Phi Delta Theta, Beta Theta Pi, and Sigma Chi form the Miami Triad. The fraternity has about 169 active chapters and colonies in over 43 U.S...
. While a student at Washburn Law, he and eight other fraternity brothers formed the Free Society of Gnip Gnop. They provided scholarships to Washburn law students for more than sixty years.
On August 10, 1950, he married Elizabeth "Betty" Ireton. Together they had two children, a son, Carl, and a daughter, Chandler. They were grandparents to five children and great grandparents to two children.
Military Service, Legal Career and Business Activities
Hayes served as Captain in the United States ArmyUnited States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
with service in the New Hebrides Islands and the Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. Upon his return home and graduation from law school, Hayes was a founding partner of the Gilliland & Hayes law firm, which has offices in Hutchinson, Wichita, Lawrence and Overland Park, Kansas. The firm celebrated its 50th anniversary on December 15, 2009.
Hayes was a Life Member of the National Conference of Commissioners on Uniform State Laws serving for more than 30 years, and a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers and the American Bar Foundation. He served as president of the Reno County Bar Association and the Kansas Association of Defense Counsel. He was a member of the American Bar Association
American Bar Association
The American Bar Association , founded August 21, 1878, is a voluntary bar association of lawyers and law students, which is not specific to any jurisdiction in the United States. The ABA's most important stated activities are the setting of academic standards for law schools, and the formulation...
, Kansas Bar Association
Kansas Bar Association
The Kansas Bar Association is a voluntary, non-profit bar association for the state of Kansas with the headquarters located at 12th and Harrison St. in Topeka. The KBA has approximately 7,000 members and was founded in 1882.- Membership :...
and the Kansas Bar Foundation.
He was a long-time director of Central Bank & Trust in Hutchinson, Kansas
Hutchinson, Kansas
Hutchinson is the largest city in and the county seat of Reno County, Kansas, United States, northwest of Wichita, on the Arkansas River. It has been home to salt mines since 1887, thus its nickname of "Salt City", but locals call it "Hutch"...
and Waddell & Reed Group of Funds
Waddell and Reed
Waddell & Reed Financial, Inc. is an American asset management and financial planning company founded in 1937. It is a publicly traded company as of 1998, with its headquarters in Overland Park, Kansas...
, Overland Park, Kansas. He also served as president of the Hutchinson Chamber of Commerce, Hutchinson Rotary Club, Hutchinson Town Club and Prairie Dunes Country Club
Prairie Dunes Country Club
Prairie Dunes Country Club is a golf course located just outside Hutchinson, Kansas. It is frequently ranked among the best golf courses in the United States, and has hosted several United States Golf Association national championship tournaments....
. Hayes also served as a director and district vice-president of the Kansas State Chamber of Commerce and vice-president of the Hutchinson Symphony.
Political Activities
In 1952, Hayes served as a delegate to the National Republican Convention and later served six terms in the Kansas House of Representatives (1953–1955, 1967–1979) where he was chairman of the Insurance and Judiciary committees and was Majority Floor Leader from 1975-1977. He was credited with creating Sand Hills State Park, supporting passage of court unification and the state's no-fault insurance law, improving the Kansas State FairKansas State Fair
The annual Kansas State Fair is held in Hutchinson each September. The 2012 State Fair runs from September 7 through September 16.The Kansas State Fair is held annually beginning the Friday following Labor Day and lasts for 10 days at the Kansas State Fairgrounds in Hutchinson, Kansas.The largest...
and establishing the Law Enforcement Training Center in Hutchinson.