Jay Bernard Haney

Jay Bernard Haney, 78, of Woodstock, GA, died Thursday, January 15, 2026. Jay Bernard Haney was born in Pittsburg, Kansas the son of John and Suerita Haney who lived in near-by Lamar, Missouri, a small farming town. Jay was raised in Kansas City and later Raytown, Missouri by his father and step mother Blodwen. John Haney, a career postal clerk, had a love of learning, he checked out so many books that he wore out libraries. John was a U.S. Army veteran of World War II following in the tradition of Haney men that went back to Sergeant Lewis C. Haney (1836-1862), 48th Indiana Volunteer Infantry Regiment, killed in action 19 September 1862 at the Battle of Iuka, Mississippi. Blodwen was a career elementary teacher and IQ tester with a Master’s Degree from Columbia University, New York. Jay had a wonderfully active childhood with his very dear brother, Mike; and his adored sister, Mary. With their guidance, Jay was a fine student, a member of the science club and served four years on the Raytown South High School yearbook staff. His senior year, he was year book editor for the 2,000+ student school. Jay earned a National Merit Scholarship, applied to many schools and was set to attend Michigan State University to study petroleum engineering. How he saw himself is well stated in his entry to the United States Military Academy (USMA) Class of 1969 Legacy Book: “On June 20, 1965 I received a telegram that forever changed my life. Of my high school class of 500+ only three left Raytown, Missouri for colleges outside the state. Less than half were even going to college. Now I, fifth alternate, was to report to West Point. To get there I took my first airplane ride. My bags wound up in Seattle. After spending the night in Highland Falls I walked along the Hudson River to report. I was as awed by the beauty of that walk as I had been by the immensity of New York City. My report to the “Man in the Red Sash” did not go so well. Having no bag, I had to practice dropping an imaginary one. To say I was an awkward, inept Plebe is to be kind. Only great roommates helped me survive that first year. It was a year of brace palsy, weight loss and being found in PE. But the board saw something in me and brought me back the next year. F-3, Class of 1969 was my Rock and still is. My Firstie year, we won the Superintendent’s Trophy which measures unit excellence. It was through being in that company that I learned the life skills that made me a member of the Cadet Chapel Choir, a Cadet Lieutenant, an Armor Officer in Germany, an Advisor to the 9th Division ARVN, a Senior Vice President of a commercial bank, a Major in the US Army Reserves and a volunteer Trail Ambassador at Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park. I am particularly proud of serving with the 9th Division ARVN as their Intelligence Advisor during the Easter Offensive of 1972. It was a privilege to share Remy Martin and tactics and learn from the officers of that division. It was a sad day when they went to reeducation camps for many years. Equally sad was the reduction in force after the Vietnam War. I have been blessed with two wonderful wives. Genie Romond, my West Point sweetheart and RN, died in 1990 after a 5-year illness. We have 3 terrific children. Anne Page Mosby, Mississippi librarian and sweetest person you will ever know, continues to explore the world with me as we travel. We have 4 beautiful grandchildren.” Jay’s active-duty assignments were Armor Officer Basic, Airborne School, Ranger School before reporting to his battalion in Germany. With 1-68th Armor in Baumholder Germany Jay served as Platoon Leader, XO and briefly as C Company Commander before his orders for Vietnam came down. Jay was awarded the Army Commendation Medal for his efforts in tank gunnery training and was named most effective tank maintenance officer at Baumholder. In Vietnam Jay first was an advisor to the 16th ARVN infantry Regiment. During the drawdown of advisors, he learned how to be an intelligence advisor at the Division level. Jay was awarded the Bronze Star, Air Medal and Combat Infantryman’s Badge. After Vietnam, Jay was posted to Fort Hood, Texas. At Fort Hood Jay was a project officer on III Corps Staff in the G-5 Visitor’s Bureau. He planned visits and served as escort officer for many three and four star visitors, foreign and domestic. Projects ranged from arranging artillery support for the local high school rendition of the “1812 Overture” to supporting the American Ordinance Convention. He also served as Secretary of the Fort Hood United Way Fund. After leaving active duty, Jay stayed in the U.S. Army Reserves as an individual ready reservist and as a project officer in the 449th Field Depot, Fort Gillem, Georgia. He planned battalion FTX, served as aggressor commander, and helped with the transition of the Field Depot to a Theater Area Support Group. He was awarded the Army Commendation Medal and Army Achievement Medal for his efforts. He joined the retired reserve in 1995. In the civilian world, Jay retired from Bank of America which had acquired his bank, Citizens and Southern. He had worked his way up the ranks from Management associate to SVP, Manager of Budget and Management Reporting and later Manger of Internal Control. He then served as a partner in a recruiting and consulting practice and finally as a senior advisor and analyst to a company in the mine support business. Throughout his life, Jay was involved in not-for-profit endeavors. At his Parish, which he joined in 1978, he had been Finance Chairman, member of many different committees and Parish Council Chairman. With the Kennesaw Mountain Trail Club, which he joined in 2007, he served on the board, as Historian and as Archivist. KMTC won the 2014 Hartzog award for best group working with the National Park Service. Jay has been awarded the Lifetime and Presidential Service Awards. He always wanted to lead his tanks into Moscow. A Cold Warrior who, in the end, understood that it was a good thing he never had to. Jay was preceded in death by his parents and his first wife, Regina. Jay is survived by his wife, Anne Page, of 34 years; his children, Shawn, Jennifer (Manny), and Paul (Cecilia); his grandchildren, Devin, Isabella, Eleni, and Elias; his brother, Michael (Amy); his sister, Mary (Larry); his mother-in-law, Mary Sue Mosby; many treasured brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law; nieces and nephews; and goddaughter, Olivia Daniel. Jay will be fondly remembered as our “Tank Man”, the giver of great advice, a man of faith with a cheerful smile. Jay was a loving husband; the best son, brother, father, grandfather and friend one could wish for. In lieu of flowers, the family asks for donations for: Catholic Relief Services; St. Vincent de Paul; The Friends of Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park.