Thomas Patrick Hayes died July 21, 2022 in Chinook helicopter crash fighting fire. He was the captain of the helicopter that crashed near Salmon, Idaho. He was born August 27, 1980 to Tim and Becky (Craner) Hayes of Orofino, Idaho.
He was a very large child from birth on up, and large in life. He had a great big heart, and a great big smile. Through Tom’s years, he was a very caring and loving and especially protective of his younger sister, Nicky.
In his younger years, Tom played baseball, football, basketball, and took horse 4-H, but his love became hunting and fishing. He also enjoyed other activities – one his mother was against, which was mudding with his pickup, and jumping gravel piles which his little sister squealed on him about.
Tom loved his whole family and was especially fond of his grandfathers, Pat Hayes of Orofino and Bill Craner of St. Maries. When he was a little boy he loved going carpentering with Grandpa Craner on his new house builds and going to see Grandpa Hayes.
He also worked in our family businesses, Frontier Foods ad Becky’s Burgers, where he was “The Ultimate” in employees with his big smile, speed and professionalism. In high school his dream was to become a helicopter pilot. He felt the only way to achieve his dream and get enough hours was to join the United States Army. He enlisted at the age of 18 and through his hard work ethics and motivation quickly was in the Airborne Division then became a top-of-the-line Chinook CH47 helicopter pilot, well revered with 20 years served in the US Army Rank CW4. We are all so extremely proud of Tom. He attained a fantastic career and was so respected and honored by his comrades and friends.
When Tom saw someone doing wrong, family or friends, he tried to talk to them to get them back on track. Tom was very forthright and never afraid to speak the truth, especially if it was for the good. He was a very joking, loving and caring person. His bear hugs could not be beat.
In the last year of his life he met the love of his life, Kristin Erickson, with which he traveled, skied, rode bikes, camped and fished. They had everything in common and he loved her three children, Linnea, Sonja and Mira, as his own and they loved him. They all went camping and fishing and had made a lovely, happy life together with marriage in the future.
Tom also had three children, Patrick, Sam and Sophia. He loved these children so deeply.
Tom will be missed by so many – parents, family, friends and comrades.
We salute Tom as a red-blooded All American patriotic hero for his military service of 20 years, and firefighting with the huge Chinook he took charge of. This was a great man and will be sorely missed. Love your mom, dads and family.
Tom is survived by his father Tim Hayes, Orofino; mother and father-in-law Becky (Craner) and Steven Hovey; sister and brother-in-law Nicole and Dylan Bonner; niece Ariyah; uncle Billie Craner, St. Maries; aunt Deborah Craner; aunts and uncles Jeanne and Allen Webb, Terry and Harvey Leach, Cheri and Scott Steinmetz; grandmother Eleanor Hayes; great aunt Becky Tom Eckroth; and so many more.
He was preceded in death by his grandparents Pat Hayes, Orofino and Bill and Dorothy Craner.
Services will be August 5 in Orofino at the Best Western Rivers Edge, in the conference room, at 3:00 p.m. A gathering of friends and family will follow the services. During the ceremony there will be slides and Tom will be carried in a horse-drawn carriage through town, then to the cemetery with the Military Honor Guard and USFS Honor Guard. There will be fly-ins by Chinook Helicopters, which may land at the airport to see in honor of Tom for his service to both country and state.
Any donations can be made to Wildland Firefighters Foundation, Burke Minor, 208-424-1111.
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