Ronald Allen Hay, 74, of Bel Air, Maryland, passed away peacefully on Monday, September 28, 2026, in Bel Air. He was born in Pennsylvania to the late Wilfred Hay and Antoinette (DeRubis) Hay.

Ronald was a totally colorful character who was always telling jokes and leading people on a wild chase to follow what he was talking about. To all the adults in the room, his grandchildren would often say, “DON’T TRUST GRAMPY,” as he was always spinning a tale. He was wonderful with kids and would let them play and do anything to him, including covering him with silly string.

Ronald was an avid Steelers and Pirates fan and an excellent guitar player and musician. He was very knowledgeable and self-educated, with a passion for history, geography, and transportation. He was very proficient at mentoring his friends and loved ones and was well-versed in logistics. He could tell you a process from start to finish, particularly when it came to transportation.

Ronald shared his love of music with his family and taught his brothers-in-law to play guitar. He was very involved with his family and cherished the time he spent with them. He called himself a “Space Cadet” as a joke, but he was passionate about learning everything he could about space and rockets.

He is survived by his beloved wife, Karen Louise Hay; his son, Allen (Lauran) Hay; his daughter, Vanessa (Bryan) Wright; grandchildren, Robert Wright, James Wright, Ansley Hay, and Margaret Hay; sisters in law, Eileen Stamps and Barbara (Chris) Daiger; brothers in law, Sean Duffy; and Patrick (Tracie) Duffy, nieces and nephews, James, Kathleen, Sean (Natalie) and Elisabeth, and great nieces and nephews, Declan, Paisley, and Pierce.

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the American Diabetes Association.