Steven B. Hayes, former judge and son of Ohio State football coach Woody Hayes, dies at 76
Aaron Skubby
Steven B. Hayes, a former Franklin County assistant prosecutor and municipal judge and the only child of legendary Ohio State football coach Woody Hayes, died Friday. He was 76.
Born and raised in Upper Arlington, Hayes began his legal career in 1970 as a Franklin County assistant prosecutor for eight years.
In 1980, Hayes was appointed as a Franklin County Municipal Court judge by then-Ohio Gov. James Rhodes, a position he held until early 2005.
As a judge for the county Municipal Court, Hayes consistently received high ratings from the Columbus Bar Association, and he ran unopposed for the entirety of his 25 years on the bench.
Hayes then became a magistrate for Upper Arlington Mayor’s Court until 2020.
Hayes was also a dedicated supporter of the Ohio State University, where he received a bachelor's degree in international studies and graduated from OSU's law school..
He helped establish the Anne Hayes Memorial Scholarship for Academic Excellence at OSU's College of Social Work, named after his mother, and The Wayne Woodrow Hayes Chair in National Security Studies at Ohio State’s Mershon Center for International Security Studies, named after his father.
Friends of Hayes, who called him "Steve," reflected on their memories of him.
“He was a smart, caring and good man who liked his privacy,” said Greg Lashutka, mayor of Columbus from 1992-2000, and an Ohio State football player under Hayes' father. The two men met during Lashutka’s freshman year of college, while Steve Hayes was a senior in high school.
Jeff Kaplin, who was close with the Hayes family, said Steve Hayes "was a very modest guy. A real introvert, but he had an incredible dry wit. His dry humor was matched only by his mom."
Hayes "didn’t have any brothers or sisters, and I think the nicest thing he ever did is when his mom passed away, he said that his mom and dad felt like I was their son, so he said I was like his brother from another mother,” Kaplin said.
Rex Kern, quarterback of OSU’s famous “Super Sophomores,” remembers Hayes for his relationship with his mother.
“I knew Steve through Coach Hayes and his wife Anne, and so I got to know the family very well. Woody and Anne thought the world was Steve, and so do I,” Kern said. “The memorable thing was that Steve and his mom were just a crack-up to be around. They loved to play tricks and jokes on each other, and they just had a wonderful mother-son relationship. They just got along so well, and it was heartfelt every time you would see them.”
Those who knew Hayes well recalled how respected he was as a judge.
“He didn’t have much of a contest (at election time) because nobody wanted to run against him,” Lashutka said. “Not just because of his name, but because of how he was as a judge. He never led with the name. He always led with his abilities to be a fair judge. He was firm, kind, and caring.”
Hayes is survived by his wife, Kathleen Bidlack Hayes; son, Phillip Woodrow Hayes; daughter, Laura Louise Hayes; granddaughter Clayre; and several cousins.
The family will receive friends from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. Wednesday at Schoedinger Northeast Funeral Home in Gahanna. A private funeral Mass will be held.
In lieu of flowers, the family invites those who want to send wishes to donate to the Anne Hayes Memorial Scholarship for Academic Excellence, the Wayne Woodrow Hayes Chair in National Security Studies, or a charity of your choice. Donations for of the Hayes scholarships may be sent to the Ohio State University Office of Estate and Gift Planning, 14 E. 15th Ave, Columbus, OH 43201.
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@AaronSkubby