Michael Hayes

Mike was born in Heidelberg, Germany. After his graduation from Sharon High, he graduated from Dean College in 1967 and Wilmington College in 1970. He began his professional career later that year at Merket Enterprises in Canton, MA as the Director of Personnel, Purchasing and Telecommunications. In 1986 he left Merket and went to work at International Home Furnishings in Hanover, MA as a sales rep in interior design.

Mike moved to Naples, FL in 1994 and worked in Sales & Interior Design at Ethan Allen. He then went to work for Robb & Stucky as an Interior Designer in 1997 until 2011. He retired from Architectural & Interior Design in 2011.

Mike had a strong sense of self and a great sense of humor. He had many, many dear friends both human and canine over the years. Whatever Mike was interested in, he made sure he knew as much as he could about it. He was an enthusiastic lifelong philatelist and numismatist who taught many others. He also was a fish collector periodically over the years.

He often recalled a private two hour tour in the Smithsonian National Postal Museum basement vault with a few cousins and nephews. The country’s most famous and priceless stamps are maintained there. One of his cousins had Mike and the museum curator each asking the other a three-question elimination round on American stamps. If Mike won he would get to take home the full plate of the Inverted Jenny stamp(s) housed there. Mike did well but he met his match that day and left empty-handed but happy.

Mike spoke of his happiest memory being able to take his Dad to Ireland and Belgium. They got to see relatives, kiss the Blarney Stone and be reintroduced to The Jameson Experience, an Irish whiskey museum and visitor center located in the Old Midleton Distillery in Midleton, County Cork, Ireland.

Mike died on July 24, 2017, after a battle with pancreatic cancer. He is buried in Palm Royal Cemetery in Naples, FL. He also used the family name Mike Van Audekerke. He had no siblings.