MEEKER | Larry and Dorothy Hayes of Meeker are this week’s “home of” honorees. Larry is a 50-year Meeker resident. He moved here with his late parents, Glenn and Lois Hayes. Dorothy came to Meeker 40 years ago with her parents. Dorothy’s father Dale Payton is deceased. Her mother Viola Payton still resides in Meeker.
Larry retired from Texaco-Chevron four years ago. Larry worked as a pumper and a plant operator for the company. Larry currently works full-time for the Rio Blanco County Sheriff’s office as a jailer. Dorothy is a homemaker. She had a home daycare business for 13 years.
The couple has three children: daughter Stacy Hayes of Meeker; daughter Heidi Cardenas, her husband Andy and their three children, Savannah, 11, Aaron, 8, and Mikey, 3, of Craig; and son Otis Hayes and his daughter, Mattie, 9, of Meeker.
“We’re homebodies. We like to go look for elk and deer. We enjoy yard work and spending time with our kids and grandkids. We like that Meeker is a small town. It’s quiet here and we enjoy the mountains,” Larry said.