R.D. Hay

Graveside services are scheduled for 10:00 a.m. Monday, January 23 at Woodbine Cemetery for R.D. Hay, Jr. of Artesia, New Mexico.

Mr. Hay, 95, died Tuesday, January 17, 2017 at his home with his family at his side.

Danny Sons of the Midway Assembly of God Church will officiate at the service.

R.D. was born April 2, 1921 in El Paso, Texas the son of Robert Daniel Hay and Maggie (English) Hay.

On June 14, 1944 he married Doris Pearl Huls in Juarez, Mexico. They came to Artesia in 2004 from Dexter, N.M. She preceded him in death on October 14, 2016. He was also preceded in death by his parents; sisters Madge Gravell and Lela Morton; and brothers Henry and Byron Hay; and his grandson John Hay.

R.D. began riding race horses at a young age. In the 1950's he started his career at Ruidoso Downs as a jockey and then moved on to training and owning race horses. In 1981 he was named the Outstanding Quarter Horse Trainer of New Mexico, and in 1982 he was named the Champion Trainer of the New Mexico Quarter Horse Association. R.D. trained race horses for Punch Jones and family and throughout the years the team shared many successes. Upon his retirement, he returned to his farm and continued farming until 2002. R.D. was an avid hunter and always busy with something, he never was an idle man. Even recently, without being able to see very well, he was tinkering and trying to get his 1951 tractor to run.

Survivors include his daughter Carolyn Owens and husband J.C. of Artesia; son Robert John Hay of Artesia; 6 grandchildren including Sabrina Porte and husband Marvin and Amanda Platt and husband Howard, Andrew Hay and Armand Hay and great-grandchildren.

Service