William Hay Obituary

William Marion “Bubba” Hay, age 83 of Franklin, TN passed away January 26, 2025. Bubba was a native of Williamson County, TN and graduated from Franklin High School. His career began in the walking horse industry by training horses and a farrier. His love for horses and his influence by John Fowlkes at the Percy Warner Riding Academy led him to rodeo and competing locally in Middle Tennessee. Bubba received Jesus Christ into his heart September 15, 1971 and became very active the Franklin Freewill Baptist Church as a Deacon, Sunday School Director and taught Sunday School. Occasionally he would preach at church and one Sunday his father came forward and accepted Jesus as his Lord and Savior. Later, he and several cowboys, Kid Ray Marley, Don Wade and Wayne Dunn stepped in to reorganize Tennessee High School Rodeo and got it back on its feet. During this time with the help of these three cowboys (and many others from different parts of Tennessee), a Cowboy for Christ Ministry sanctioned by the Fellowship of Christian Athletes was born. This group and more traveled several years on the weekends to High School Rodeos, Colleges, and professional rodeos in Tennessee and Alabama would have worship services for the cowboys and cowgirls and anyone else who wanted to attend. Bubba preached and the other guys would give their testimonies. Hundreds of New Testament Cowboy Bibles were given out and many hearts came to the Lord. Bubba loved to feed people. He had a flatbed hooked to his truck that carried all of his cooking equipment. For several years, he would cook for as many as 200 or 300 people at Brownland Farm (which was one of his customers) to celebrate Mac Anderton’s birthday. During the Shelbyville Walking Horse Celebration, he would take his cook wagon and cook for the staff that worked for Harlinsdale Farm. He also cooked for the VFW and cooked shoulders at the Beagle Club and fed neighbors and family. He was a respected farrier and worked with several farms and individual clients such as Gov. Buford Ellington and Gilford Dudley. He and his wife owned a 20 foot Coachman Travel Trailer and loved to take trips to Panama City Beach in May and October. They were able to enjoy this until his health started to decline around 2017. He loved and honored his mother dearly and when her health started to decline, he made sure she was well taken care of with meals and appointments. Preceded in death by parents, William Milton and Mary Frances Boyd Hay; brother, Walter Freeman Hay and sister-in-law, Karen Hay. Survived by: wife, Jane Bell Hay; daughter, Lesa Hay and other loving family members. A Celebration of Life Service will be conducted 2:00 PM Friday, February 21, 2025 at Williamson Memorial Funeral Home, Jim Taylor officiating. Honorary pallbearers will be Pat and Bill Maberry, Jimmy King, Fred Graham and the Vac Shop, Harlinsdale Farm Staff, Brownland Farm Staff; NHC Second Floor Long Term Care Staff and exceptional caregivers; his awesome sitters who went beyond their job every day, Sandra Burgess, Wynella Rice McElrath, Annette Lane, Jackie Hardison and Terry Patton. Memorials may be made to St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital or Justin Cowboy Crisis Fund at justincrisisfund.org. Visitation will be 12:00 Noon until service time on Friday at WILLIAMSON MEMORIAL FUNERAL HOME, 615 794-2289 williamsonmemorial.com