Daniel V. Hayes

Daniel Vincent Hayes, age 70, of Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania, passed away on May 20, 2026. He was the spouse of Susan (Linderman) Hayes, with whom he shared 40 years of marriage. Born in Methuen, MA, he was the son of Dr. Thomas Hayes and Loretta (Spires) Hayes. A loving, kind, and generous man, Dan will live forever in the hearts of his many family members and friends. He will especially be remembered for being a wonderful husband, father, grandfather, and brother; he loved his family dearly and was known for his willingness to always provide comfort and help.

Born on September 7, 1955, Dan grew up in North Andover, MA, graduating from Central Catholic HS and University of Massachusetts in 1979 with a degree in Economics- Marketing. While there, he was President of Sigma Alpha Mu fraternity. He pursued a career in the foreign luxury automobile sector, from Master Mechanic to service management and sales. He “delighted in delighting” the customers for Mercedes Benz, Porsche, Audi, Infinity, and Lexus, winning a number of awards for customer satisfaction.

Dan’s retirement was filled with numerous projects, ranging from fixing cars for friends and family and keeping the house in shape, to caring for his 5 grandchildren and spending time with his daughters, sons in law and wife. He loved to play golf with the Advent league and was looking forward to camping adventures this summer with Sue. He was often seen chatting with neighbors, taking long walks, or going to breakfast with friends. He spent many years with the Cathedral Choir and Choir School of Delaware, which he participated in with his three daughters. He volunteered at A.I. DuPont Children’s Hospital and Hagley Museum, in addition to being an on-call handyman for the Encore Shoppe. He was a member of Longwood Rotary. He was a wily bridge and 45’s player, known for shifty bidding that confused the opposition. He loved watching golf tournaments and the Philadelphia Eagles dominate in football. He was a member of the Episcopal Church, including Cathedral Church of St. John, Church of the Advent and Christ Church Christiana Hundred.

In addition to his wife, he is survived by his children: Christen Simel (Brian), Erin Hayes (Donatus Weithman), and Cailin Laubscher (Kevin). He took great joy in his five grandchildren: Lucas and Noah Simel, Daniel and Cailey Weithman, and Derek Laubscher. He was very proud of his Irish roots and loved spending time with his siblings: Judi Mancini, Thomas Hayes, Michael Hayes, Kevin Hayes, John Hayes, Mary Beth Rentschler, Brian Hayes, Cathy Lee, and Patrick Hayes. He also loved the Linderman family, particularly the opportunity to come together annually at their “Camp Linderman” reunion.

Daniel was predeceased by his father and mother, brother, Kevin Hayes, and niece, Deborah Wharff.

You are invited to visit with Daniel’s family and friends from 2:00-3:00 PM on Sunday, May 31, 2026, at Christ Church Christiana Hundred 505 East Buck Road, Wilmington, DE 19807. His funeral service will follow at 3:00 PM. Interment will be held privately.

In lieu of flowers, contributions in his memory may be made to Winterthur Memorial Tree Fund, my.winterthur.org/donate/i/memory.

Arrangements are by Matthew Grieco of Grieco Funeral Home & Crematory, Inc. (484-734-8100) of Kennett Square, Pennsylvania. To view his online obituary and leave condolences, please visit www.griecofunerals.com.