Cloyd Buchanan “Bucky” Heys, 77, of Waycross died Tuesday morning (March 13, 2012) at Baptist Village after an extended illness.
He was born in Tampa, FL to the late William Bates and Thedessia Robitzsch Heys and grew up in Fitzgerald, GA where he graduated from Fitzgerald High School in 1953. Mr. Heys attended Georgia Tech Institute from 1953- 1955. From 1955 until 1957, Mr. Heys was a Veteran of the U.S. Army. He attended Southern Tech Institute from 1958 – 1960 and Southern Polytechnical Institute. From 1960 – 1965 he worked for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and served as City Engineer and Assistant City Manager in Conyers, GA from 1965 – 1972 and served as City Manager of Conyers, GA from 1972 – 1978. While in Conyers he was a former President of the Rockdale County Jaycees, a Volunteer Fireman, a member of the St. Simon Episcopal Church where he served as Treasurer and a member of the Vestry.
In 1978, Mr. Heys moved to Waycross to serve as the City Manager until he retired in 2002. During his tenure, his role as City Manager was to provide community services in a cost-effective and efficient manner so as to maintain and improve the health and safety of the community, while overseeing the operations of six divisions including the Finance, Engineering, Public Works, Police Services, Fire Services and Community Development Departments. The first phase of his work in Waycross began in correcting and upgrading the community’s infrastructure and service delivery and was charged by the commission to meet the present and future needs of the community. Mr. Heys used training programs that were recognized and promoted by the International City Management Association, the University of Georgia, Institute of Government, and the Georgia Municipal Association. During his tenure as City Manager, the city joined forces with the county and passed a special purpose local option tax (SPLOST). The tax was used for road improvement both in the city and county with the funds being split between the two governmental entities. Under this tax, 25 miles of streets were paved in the city and rehab work was conducted on all the water and sewer mains in the streets being paved. The city and county were able to effectively lobby to the Department of Transportation to build a major highway, Corridor Z, through our community and Corridor Z became the first developmental highway in the state. In the area of public safety, the city built and opened in 1984, two additional fire stations and upgraded fire equipment with the purchase of two pumpers and a ladder truck. Funding for this improvement was by general obligation bonds. The Waycross Police Department began its National Accreditation Program in July 1990 and the Police Department maintains its accreditation status even in 2012.
Under Mr. Heys leadership, the first data processing equipment was implemented to include all city activities. He established a program for a concept of improvement which was originally “Excellence in Waycross”. Long-range planning was carried on and a vision of Mr. Heys’ to improve Memorial Stadium resulted in having 2, 000 additional seats erected inside the stadium complex. Also constructed were visitor’s dressing rooms and a second concession stand. In 2001, the land mark facility was sold to the Ware County Board of Education for one dollar and the stadium under went major renovations and became the beautiful structure it is today. Mr. Heys wrote several publications on policies and management that were used at the Carl Vinson Institute of Government at the University of Georgia for teaching city officials all across the state. During his career, he was an avid cyclist and runner where he participated in triathlons and three marathons, one of which was the New York Marathon in 1988. He also enjoyed fishing and playing tennis. Mr. Heys served on the Waycross Board of Education, Waycross-Ware County Development Authority, Waycross Library Board, YMCA Board of Directors, Toastmasters, Grace Episcopal Church, Waycross Rotary Club, Okefenokee Golf and Country Club, Southeast Georgia Regional Commission and many other organizations. In 1997, the Georgia Municipal Association presented the Hall of Fame Award to Mr. Heys for his outstanding years of service to the community and to the Georgia Municipal Association.
Survivors include his wife Shirley Mae Wood Heys, Waycross; two sons, Martin Heys and his wife Monica of Brunswick, Ashley Scott Heys and his wife Angie of Brunswick; three grandchildren, Skylar Alan Heys, Emma Grace Heys and Allyson Faith Heys all of Brunswick; one sister, Thedessia “Sis” Heys Dorminey and her husband Gene of Fitzgerald; many nieces, nephews and other relatives.
A funeral service will be held Saturday afternoon at 2 pm at Grace Episcopal Church. Burial will follow in Oakland Cemetery.
The family will receive friends Friday evening from 6 – 8 pm at the funeral home.
The family requests former City Commissioner and retired employees to serve as honorary pallbearers and should meet at the church by 1:30 pm for the service.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Alzheimer’s Association, 41 Perimeter Center East, Suite 550, Atlanta, GA 30346 or to a local Hospice organization.
Sympathy may be expressed online at www.milesodumfuneralhome.com.
Miles-Odum Funeral Home is in charge of the arrangements.