YV People: Loss of a Legend

a moment... for a memory

If you have ever considered owning a swimming pool, then you probably know the name Gray Haymore. For over 40 years, Gray’s name has been synonymous with swimming pools in the foothills region. As the owner of Haymore Construction Swimming Pools, Gray had a hand in building over 600 swimming pools in backyards across North Carolina and Virginia.

On July 11, the world lost a gentle giant when Gray Haymore passed away. Gray grew up in Dobson, NC and graduated from Surry Central High School. He served our country in the Vietnam War as a PFC of the 118 Army Air Assault. Upon returning from his military service, he began building homes with his father, Sam Haymore, and later became a licensed contractor building his first swimming pool in 1980.

There was only one thing Gray was prouder of than his swimming pool business and that was his family. He married his wife, Becky, on November 21, 1970 and they had two daughters, Candace and Molly, and three grandchildren. He and Becky loved traveling and they took many trips during their 50 years together, from Alaska and Hawaii to Maine and all points in between. Candace, a nurse practitioner, shared her father’s love for bluegrass music and regularly attended concerts with him. Molly, a professor at the University of Kentucky, had her father cheering with her for the Kentucky Wildcats every basketball season.

Gray was an active member and deacon of Salem Fork Baptist Church. Over the years, he proudly served as a deacon as the church grew in membership and in physical space. He used his expertise in construction to help lead efforts to expand the size of the church when they added a new Family Life Center in 2011, without realizing that ten years later, that is the same space where his family and friends would mourn his loss at his funeral. His love for bluegrass and gospel music was even celebrated at the service as the Nunn Brothers played some gospel favorites and ended with a patriotic tribute to his service in the Army.

In 2010, I began working for Haymore Construction as a swimming pool store clerk. What began as a summer job for me turned into more than I could have ever imagined. I gained an entire new family that I didn’t know I needed. The Haymore family treated me like one of their own, and Gray became my “bonus dad” over the years. Now, after 11 years, my husband, Spencer, and I will carry on the swimming pool legacy. I must admit, we have some mighty big shoes to fill, but we have had the best training and mentors in the business. When we would be busy in the pool store, Gray would ask for an update on a swimming pool and I would tell him “Hold on” while I finished the task I was working on. He would roll his eyes because I could not multi-task like he could, but Gray, just one final time, I would like to say,

The Loss of a Legend

“Hold on…we’ll all see you again soon.”

By: Angel Mauck