Visitation for Lester G. Hays, 77, of Manteno, will be from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. Wednesday at the Clancy-Gernon Funeral Home in Bourbonnais, where funeral services will be held at 10 a.m. Thursday. The Rev. Kevin Werner will officiate.

Burial will be in Onarga Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Hospice of Kankakee Valley, Risen Savior Lutheran Church or the American Cancer Society. He died Monday (April 18, 2011) at his home.

Mr. Hays was a truck driver and a member of the Teamsters Local 705 at Preston Trucking and Pepsi-Cola. He was born June 9, 1933, in Tonti, the son of George and Carrie Self Hays. He served in the U.S. Army during the Korean conflict. He enjoyed golfing.

Surviving are his wife, the former Edna M. Kuhlman, whom he married Nov. 8, 1953, at Our Savior Lutheran Church in Bradley; four sons and daughters-in-law, Ron G. and Alice Hays, of Cissna Park, Dan and Beth Hays, of Kankakee, Gary and Shelley Hays, of Manteno, and Carl and Lesa Hays, of Bourbonnais; 11 grandchildren, Andy Hays, Griffin (Angie) Hays, Jamie (Johnathon) Grant, Matt Hays, Vicky (Steve) Spraker, Luke Hays, Samantha Hays, Desiree Hays, Brad Hays, Danielle Hays and Taylor Hays; three great-grandchildren, Nathan Grant, Nicholas Grant and Brayden Denault; one sister, Dorothy Bowden, of Russelville, Ark.; and three brothers and two sisters-in-law, Darrel and Debbie Hays, Carrel Hays, and Jim and Sue Hays, all of Salem.

He was preceded in death by his parents; one brother, Bill; and one sister, Freda Nichols.

Please sign his guestbook at <a target="_blank" href="http://www.clancygernon.com/obituaries">clancygernon.com</a>.

(Pd.)