Dr. Hays McKay Jr.

Dr. Hays McKay, Jr., of Dothan, went home to be with his Lord and Savior on Saturday, July 16, 2022 at his home surrounded by his family following a brave battle with cancer. He was 65 years old.

A celebration of his life will be held at 2 pm on Thursday, July 21, 2022 at Covenant United Methodist Church with Rev. Kyle Gatlin and Rev. Dr. Karl Stegall officiating. The family will receive friends at the church on Thursday from 1-2 pm. A private graveside service will be held at Sunset Memorial Park. In lieu of flowers the family requests that memorial contributions be made to the building fund at Covenant United Methodist Church, 3610 W. Main St., Dothan, AL 36305 or to the Stegall Seminary Scholarship Endowment Foundation, www.stegallscholarship.com.

Hays was born on September 10, 1956 in Meridian, Mississippi and lived the early years of his life in New Orleans, LA before moving to Ft. Walton Beach, Florida. He was a 1974 graduate of Ft. Walton Beach High School. It was at Ft. Walton Beach United Methodist Church where he would become active in the youth group and begin a lifelong journey in service to Jesus. He graduated from Huntingdon College in 1978. While at college he enjoyed playing on the tennis team. Hays attended Emory University where he received his Masters of Divinity from Candler School of Theology. He served at First United Methodist Church in Opelika as the youth minister and it is there he would meet, fall in love with, and marry Mara Powers in 1982. His first Church appointment during seminary was to Beulah United Methodist Church in Beulah, Alabama. Hays ministered at several churches including Marianna United Methodist Church as Associate Pastor, Sneads United Methodist Church as Senior Pastor, First United Methodist Church in Montgomery with Senior Pastor Karl Stegall, who was a valuable mentor to Hays, St. Luke United Methodist Church in Pensacola, FL as Senior Pastor and at First United Methodist Church in Tallassee, AL before finally arriving in Dothan. Hays was the Senior Pastor at Covenant United Methodist Church where he faithfully served for 25 years. After having served here for one year, Rev. Kyle Gatlin would join him as Associate Pastor. The pair would become more than just work associates; they and their families were best friends. Both being passionate about serving God, they would build the Christian Life Center and sanctuary for the growing congregation.

Survivors include his wife of 40 years, Mara Powers McKay; his son, Hays “Trey” McKay, III; his daughter and son-in-law, Lindsey and Quinton Snellgrove; his granddaughter, Lilly Grant McKay; his mother-in-law, Carol King Powers; his brothers-in-law, Paul (Janet) Powers, Jr. and Rory Powers; his sisters-in-law, Beth Powers (Allen) Barks and Gretchen Powers (Kenneth) Hood; and several nieces and nephews.

Robert and Toni Byrd · Sunset Memorial Park

1700 Barrington Rd, Midland City AL · (334) 983-6604