Marvin Toad Hays

[Ron Marquardt]

Marvin "Toad" Hays, 87 of Bloomington, Indiana died peacefully on Saturday April 20, 2013 at Morgan County Health Center.  He recently celebrated his 87th birthday on April 3rd.  Toad was born in Bloomington, Indiana in 1926. He lived a long, rewarding life.  Toad (as well as others) often remarked with amazement at his longevity.

He enjoyed fishing, trips to the casino, driving in the country with friends, and traveling throughout the United States.  Later in his life he enjoyed sitting on the front porch.  He also enjoyed his 9 grandchildren and 9 great-grandchildren.

His first jobs as a teenager included pumping gas and working as a soda jerk at Woolworth's.  Toad was a World War II Veteran proudly serving in the US Navy.  After returning from the Navy he worked for the Monon, L&N, and CSX railroads retiring after 40 years of service.  He loved railroading!  Toad was a member of the American Legion, Moose Lodge 1081, and the VFW local 604.
Toad was most proud of his six brothers who also served their country.  David Hays US Army still lives in Bloomington, IN.

He was preceded in death by his remaining five brothers, Jack Hays, US Army; Bill Hays, US Army; Bob Hays, 28 years US Army; John Hays, US Army; and Dick Hays, US Navy.  A memorial picture of all seven brothers proudly hangs in his local VFW (604) Club.

Toad is survived by his patient and loving wife of 65 years, Wilma Hays.  Also survived by sons, Steven L. (Jean) Hays of Columbus, IN; Dennis L. Hays of Bloomfield, IN; daughter, Marvanna (John) Logsdon of South Daytona Beach, Florida. A special thanks for all the support from Neighbors, Ambulance Crew, VFW, and Moose Lodge.

He was preceded in death by his parents Walter & Lorraine Hays and siblings Danny Hays, Peggy Smith, Betty Archer, Reba Taberaux, and Maxine Samuals.

Services will be 1pm Wednesday April 24, 2013 at Allen Funeral Home 4155 S. Old State Road 37 Bloomington, IN with visitation 4-8pm Tuesday April 23, 2013 at the funeral home and 11-1pm prior to services on Wednesday.

In lieu of flowers, please make contributions to the local VFW (604) Club.

[Ron Marquardt]

Toad, his father Walter, two of his brothers, Jack and Danny, and his son Dennis, were all Monon employees.  I spent many long days and nights with Toad, mostly on stone trains and French Lick turns, and he was a always a pleasure to work with.  He was one of the Monon's true characters,
a regular with the Monon breakfast group in Bloomington, and we will all miss him very much.

RIP old friend.  / Ron 

[Rick Dreistadt]

Yes, Toad was a good man, and a good railroader.  After we moved to Southern Ind. in 1976, my wife and young kids would often take the Amtrak Floridian to Lafayette.  Toad was one of the conductors and he would always offer the kids orange juice and a sleeping compartment for all of them.  And, the trip was always free gratis. Since the train ran late at night, the kids would always stay awake until they crossed the K&I bridge, then fall asleep until they arrived at Lafayette.
Rick   

[John Butler]

I am sorry to hear this.  I liked Toad.  He brought much of the color to the Monon breakfasts.  Here is a snippet I wrote about Toad's father.  I wish he could have read it.

   "The last run of the Thoroughbred was also the last run for three of its crew members.  Conductor Walter Hays, trainman E.L. Beatty, and engineer Carl Crumbo all chose to retire with the passenger train, rather than transfer to freight service.  Between them they had accumulated 144 years of service on the Monon, a testimony both to the loyalty of the employees and the tradition the railroad represented (192).  Hays, a Bloomington resident, was himself the son of a Monon brakeman, and three of his eight sons also worked for the railroad.  The railroad was a constant in these men's lives; they had made countless trips over the same familiar line, stopping at the same familiar stations, on the same familiar trains.  Hays had memories of passenger trains and crowded platforms stretching back to 1913, and now, with regret, he was witnessing all that coming to a close.  Not only were their careers ending, but the railroad itself was changing.  While this generation of railroaders would retire and avoid much of the change, as Hays said of his compatriots, "They've been on there for so many years they'll just go home" (193).  The future of railroading and the connections the railroad made to people like Hays and places like Bloomington would be very different.  The "intimacy" of a passenger hauling-railroad was replaced by the anonymity of a freight-hauling railroad.  This is not to say that after 1967 railroaders were unknown in their communities.  Instead, just as the loss of passenger trains had cut off much of the public's connection to the railroad, it also cut off much of the trainmen's connection to the public.  While there would still be conductors, the freight never talked back.  Gone were the days when railroad conductors and station agents were well-known personalities the length of the line.  The end of passenger service represented the end of a way of life, not just for Bloomington but for the men of the Monon."

R.I.P Toad.  I am sorry I never got this to you.

John 

[Ron Marquardt]

John, you may want to bring it to one of our breakfasts and give it to his son Dennis.  I'm sure he and his family would love to have it.  / Ron

[Sharon Eberhard]

A sympathy card was mailed to Mrs Hays today.   Card was delayed due to my illness.   

Sharon