Former city manager Peter Hay devoted to public life

Family witnessed birth of many Santa Fe traditions

Tom Sharpe | The New Mexican

7/8/2008 - 7/9/08

Peter Hay, who died last week at age 77, had a front-row seat to Santa Fe as a former city manager, the son of a popular local columnist and a godson of a Santo Domingo Pueblo elder.

Born in 1930, Hay grew up on Upper Canyon Road in an adobe house built by his father, John Hay, who worked for the New Mexico Power Co., the predecessor of Public Service Company of New Mexico.

His mother was Calla Hay, who began working as a columnist and society page editor for the New Mexican soon after arriving in Santa Fe in 1929.

"The Hays witnessed the birth of many Santa Fe traditions, including Zozobra by Will Shuster, whom Peter counted on as a dear friend," wrote Peter's wife, Maria DeAnda Hay. "The Hays also saw the birth of the Santa Fe Opera, of which Peter became a devoted fan."

Peter Hay "became intimately familiar with local Indian pueblo life and customs as he accompanied his father on his travels," his widow wrote. "In fact, Hay was so loved, he was 'adopted' into a Santo Domingo family and talked lovingly of his godfather, 'Ambrosio.' "

In 1940, Peter moved to Southern California with his mother and aunt, Dorothy Hughes, so they could work as screenwriters. After World War II ended, Calla and Peter returned to New Mexico so Calla could return to the New Mexican and Peter could enroll in New Mexico Military Academy in Roswell.

Upon graduation, he worked as a surveyor for the construction of the Pan American Highway — now Interstate 25 — from Santa Fe to Las Vegas, N.M. In 1952, he was drafted into the U.S. Marine Corps, served as a tank commander in Korea and attained the rank of sergeant before frostbite hospitalized him in Tokyo.

Back stateside, he obtained a bachelor's degree in cultural anthropology at the University of Arizona and a master's at The University of New Mexico. That led to a job as director of Head Start at Santo Domingo.

In 1967, he went to Washington, D.C., to take a job with the U.S. Department of Health, Education and Welfare, then staffed the Subcommittee on Indian Affairs under U.S. Sen. Robert Kennedy, D-N.Y. He worked on Kennedy's presidential campaign and attended the 1968 Democratic National Convention in Chicago.

Upon returning to Santa Fe, Hay served as city manager in the early 1970s under then Mayor George Gonzales. "He would fondly recall the politically tumultuous struggles that defined Santa Fe city government in those days, including the ever-present development pressures," wrote his widow.

After the city job, Hay worked as a state commissioner of Indian affairs and then did consulting work for Acoma Pueblo and the Navajo Nation. He was an aide for Govs. Bruce King and Toney Anaya and then became the chief legislative analyst to the New Mexico House of Representatives.

Amado Summers, who grew up near Hay on Upper Canyon Road, said he reconnected with him at the state Legislature. "He was extremely knowledgeable when it came to ... Democratic politics, how things operate, getting bills introduced and written the proper way," Summers said.

Hay died Thursday at Christus St. Vincent Regional Medical Center after a battle with cancer. He is survived by his wife; two sons, Ethan Hay of Sausalito, Calif., and Cedric Hay and his wife Deann of Tucson, Ariz., and four grandchildren, Olivia, Calla, Samuel and Genevieve.

A memorial service is set for 10 a.m. Monday at the Cathedral Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi. In lieu of flowers, the family requests contributions to the Peter Hay Public Service Fund, to provide an annual internship to a young adult interested in public service, via the Santa Fe Community Foundation, 516 Alto St., Santa Fe, NM 87501.

Contact Tom Sharpe at 986-3080 or tsharpe@sfnewmexican.com.