Thomas Bothwell Hayfield – Obituary
Thomas Bothwell Hayfield, 61, passed away on July 10, 2020 at his home in Leesburg, FL after a brief illness. He was born on May 13, 1959 in Magnolia, AR to George Harry and Joan Althea (Bothwell) Hayfield.
Tom and family moved to Lock Haven, PA in the summer of 1962. He attended Akeley elementary and Lock Haven Junior and Senior high schools graduating in 1977. Tom played the trumpet in the Mansfield University marching band, and later became a proud alumnus of Lock Haven University. He was an Army veteran and served in Panama.
While living in Lock Haven, Tom was a member of BSA Troop 61, Saint Paul’s Episcopal church, and the Lock Haven Community Orchestra. Tom loved to read and absorbed everything. He was a human Almanac long before trivia games became popular. He enjoyed cooking (and eating) and grew his own vegetables and herbs in his year-round gardens. Besides the trumpet, Tom played the violin and ukulele.
He was an author that contributed to many online platforms commenting about sports, politics, and life itself. Tom published a book of his poetry and was working on another book at the time of his passing. He dabbled in many art mediums including string art, wire art, and papier-mache. He drew and painted, primarily with pencil, ink, chalk, and watercolors.
Riding his motorcycle in the temperate Florida weather was a great pleasure. Tom was a lifelong sports fan following the Green Bay Packers, NY Mets and especially LHU sports programs, men’s wrestling being his favorite. He really enjoyed the recent resurgence of the wrestling program and would talk for hours about the subject. Tom was always an optimist.
Tom was preceded in death by his father George Harry Hayfield in 1980 and mother, Joan Hayfield Ramsey in 2017. He is survived by a brother, Jeffrey Robert (Jean) Hayfield of Pocono Lake, Pa; a brother, George Thomas Hayfield of Glasgow, VA; a sister, Kathy Hayfield (Jay Sterns) of Richmond, VA; a nephew, Jeremy (Alice) Frye of Cape May, NJ; a niece, Jenna Marie Hayfield of Arlington, VA; and Herb Ramsey of Beech Creek, PA.
Private family services were held. Tom’s ashes will be scattered in many of his favorite places. Remembrances may be made to the Clinton County SPCA and the American Cancer Society.
