William "Bill" Louis Hayward's Obituary
William "Bill" Louis Hayward, age 75, passed away peacefully at his home in Broken Arrow, OK on February 18th, 2026. He was born December 13th, 1950 to Louis and Norma Lea Hayward in Tulsa, OK and was the oldest of two siblings. He graduated from Memorial High School in 1968 and received his Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Oklahoma State University in 1972.
Bill met his life-long love Nancy Ann Loughman at the local swimming pool at the ripe old age of 16, spending almost 60 years together through the good times and bad. They were married August 7th, 1971 in Tulsa, OK, and moved to Dallas after his college graduation where Bill became a member of the Dallas police force. He spent four years as an officer, including time on the SWAT team, all of which made an indelible mark on his life.
Their son Ryan Hayward was born in 1976 and they moved back to Broken Arrow to be closer to family. Bill began work as a sales rep in the industrial steel and plumbing industries. Their son Eric Hayward was born in Broken Arrow in 1980. During his sons’ youth, Bill spent many years coaching little league baseball and encouraging his sons’ musical interests through band just as he had loved playing the French horn. Every summer he packed up the family for long road trips across the country, from the northeast to Washington DC and Gettysburg, southeast to Disney World, and many times out west to the Grand Canyon and Yellowstone. Later years took him to Alaska and on a surprise European river cruise for his wife. He also kept up his own interest in baseball; playing, coaching, and running various baseball and softball leagues all the way to the last months of his life. After a long career he happily retired in 2015, and whenever his son asked what he was doing with his time the response was the same, "Whatever I want to".
Bill loved all things sports, OSU, computers, cameras, fishing, baseball, music, dogs, and family. He will be remembered as a great husband, father, "Papa", uncle, brother, friend, co-worker, teammate, and neighbor.
Bill is survived by his wife Nancy Hayward; children, Ryan Hayward and wife Sarah Hayward of Oklahoma City, OK, daughter-in-law Theresa Hayward of Fort Smith, AR; grandchildren Alec, Callen, Ian, and Laura; and multiple nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents, brother Tom Hayward, and son Eric Hayward.
Memorial services will be held Friday February 27th, 2026, at 12:30pm at Floral Haven Funeral Home, located at 6500 S 129th E Ave, Broken Arrow OK, 74012.
Visitation is from 5 pm to 7 pm Thursday February 26th, 2026, at Floral Haven Funeral Home.
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