Searle E. Hay

Searle E. Hay, 74, of Methuen, MA, passed away peacefully on September 19, 2021, at Lawrence General Hospital surrounded by his loving family. He was married to the love of his life, Kathleen (Belanger) Hay, for 43 years. He was born on November 16, 1946, in Portland ME, and was the son of the late Clarence and Mary (Gorham) Hay.

Searle grew up in Medford, MA and graduated from Malden Catholic in 1964. He met his first wife, Jeanne Kasper in NH in 1966 and they moved to Berkeley, CA in 1970. In 1975, he moved back to MA. He was a subcontractor at MIT Lincoln Laboratory in the late 1970s where he met his wife, Kathie. He worked with RDK and then became the Resident Engineer at DCAM (Division of Capital Asset Management) from 2009 until his stroke in 2019. While at DCAM, he was involved in the building of the library and theater at UMass Salem, as well as the new courthouse in Lowell, MA.

Searle enjoyed classic cars, New England sports and a wide range of music. He liked traveling, especially with his family. He was very proud of his children and grandson.

Searle was very outgoing and super friendly; a smile that lit up a room, the guy everyone knew and always had something good to say about him. The kind of man who was always there when you needed a hand, and could pick up a book (pre-internet!) and fix it or solve a problem on his own.

Searle will be very much missed by those who knew him well, but his legacy will live on by those who will always have a story to share about him and maybe a good laugh or two.

In addition to his wife, he is survived by his two children, Cherilyn “Tammy” Hays of Napa Valley CA, Matthew Hay of Methuen, MA; his grandson, Joey Huckins; cousin, Mya Bannard; brothers and sisters-in-law who were like family to him, Dorothy and Greg Hughes, Richard and Patricia Belanger, John Belanger, Amy and Mark Belanger. He is also survived by many nieces and nephews; his childhood friend, Terry Hanley; and longtime friend, Al Robinson.

In lieu of flowers, please make a donation to The Crohn's and Ulcerative Colitis Foundation at www.crohnscolitisfoundation.org.

Friends and relatives are respectfully invited to visiting hours on Thursday, September 23, 2021, from 4:00-7:00 PM at Cataudella Funeral Home, 126 Pleasant Valley Street in Methuen. The service will immediately follow at 7:00 PM in the funeral home chapel. Burial will be private.


Relatives and friends are respectfully invited to attend calling hours on Thursday, September 23, 2021, from 4:00PM to 7:00PM at Cataudella Funeral Home, 126 Pleasant Valley Street, Methuen. A service will follow at 7:00PM in the funeral home chapel. Burial will be private.