John Ashley Hayes, 85, of Tifton died Wednesday, January 2, 2013, at Golden Living Center. Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, January 5, 2013, at Eastside Baptist Church. Rev. Jacob Russell will officiate with Jerry Hobbs giving a eulogy. Interment will follow in Oak Ridge Cemetery. Tommy Day Smith, J. R. Watson, Mike O’Hara, Darrell McKee, M. C. Vickers, Ronald Norman, Guy Haynes will serve as pallbearers. Honorary pallbearers will be member of the First John Sunday school class at Eastside Baptist Church. The family will receive friends on Saturday, January 5, 2013, from 10:00 a.m. until the hour of the service at Eastside Baptist Church.
Mr. Hayes was born on April 28, 1927 in Tifton and was the son of John Dewey Hayes and Libby Lee Hall Hayes, both deceased. He was also preceded in death by his wife, Juanita Browning Hayes; one daughter, Carolyn Hayes Brogdon; three brothers, George Hayes, Austin Hayes and Dewey Olan “Shorty” Hayes; and one sister, Cleo Hayes Pearman. He worked as a printer at Lang Printing Company for over 50 years and was a charter member of Eastside Baptist Church. After retiring, he volunteered for approximately three years at the Georgia Agrirama including being an interpreter at the print shop, groundskeeper and various other jobs.
Mr. Hayes is survived by one brother, Tommy D. Hayes of Tallahassee, Florida; two granddaughters and their husbands, Libby and Chuck Jinright of Omega and Lisa and Stuart Taylor of Norman Park; five great-grandchildren, Dayton Jinright, Mattie Jinright, Rebecca Jinright, Stuart Ashley Taylor and Hunter Taylor; a special friend, Ruby Stone of Tifton; and several nieces and nephews.