James E Hayes

JAMES HAYES

JERSEYVILLE -  James E. Hayes, 86,  died at 9:20 p.m., Friday, May 31, 2019 at Willow Rose Rehab and Health Care Center in Jerseyville from complications of Parkinsons Disease.

He was born on March 18, 1933 in a farmhouse between Manchester and Murrayville, Illinois, and was one of two children born to Russell and Edna (Shay) Hayes.

Shortly thereafter, the family moved to Jacksonville, Illinois where they remained until James was eight years of age.  For the next three years the family moved between Jacksonville and Jerseyville due to employment, before settling in Jerseyville for good, where he would graduate from Jersey Community High School, with the Class of 1951.

While attending JCHS, Jim met the love of his life, Mary F. Short during the 1948/1949 school year,  when Jim was a Junior and Mary, a freshman.  The two would begin a courtship that would lead them to marriage.   They married on May 23, 1953 in Junction City, Kansas, while Jim was stationed with the U.S. Army at Fort Riley.

Their 55 year marriage was blessed with many wonderful memories and the joys of their two sons and their families.  Mary passed away on May 25, 2008 from complications of Multiple Myeloma.

After Jim's honorable discharge from his two year stint with the U.S. Army, they continued their life together in Jerseyville, where Jim accepted employment as a supervisor in the cast shop at Olin Corp. in East Alton.  He remained there for many years and opted for early retirment in January 1980.  It was then that Jim achieved his lifelong dream of owning his own business, as the two of them purchased the Dairy Queen in Jerseyville in January 1980, at the corners of Hickory/Hollow and State Street.

At that time the Dairy Queen was just a walk up establishment.  Meeting the needs of their growing business, Jim and Mary purchased the former A&W Root Beer building on State Street, allowing them to provide their customers with a full service building which would include inside seating and a drive thru.  They owned and operated the business for seven years, deciding to sell the business to Kevin and Debbie Traub.  Kevin was the son of Terry and Joyce Traub, who had owned the Dairy Queen, when Jim and Mary purchased the business back in 1980.

At that time, Jim and Mary moved from their roots and relocated to Ivy Bend, Missouri, where they purchased a convenience store.   After two years, they sold the business and relocated to Columbia, Missouri.  While in Columbia, Jim became the warehouse manager for NationWide Paper.  He managed the warehouse which serviced Mid Missouri for eight years, before retiring and moving to Fredericktown, Missouri.

After retiring from NationWide Paper, Jim decided he couldn't just sit in the house in a rocking chair, so he began selling used cars for Blackwell Motors.  Jim used his affluent personality and gift of gab to become a successful car salesman.  After three years in Fredericktown, Jim and Mary once again decided that they should return to their roots and moved to Jerseyville in order to be closer to their beloved family.

Of course, Mary would not have Jim sitting around the house doing nothing, so the two of them began a home cleaning business which they operated together until Mary's untimely bout with cancer.

He is survived by his two sons and daughters in-law, Stephen and Denise Hayes of Jerseyville and Jeff and Eva Hayes of Saverton, Mo.; six grandchildren and their spouses, Shannon and Jeff LaPlant of Godfrey, Jamie and Kevin Goss of Jerseyville, Rachael Hayes, and her fiance' Chris Hickman of Taylorville, Kristi and Josh Morris of Oneida, Emily and Joey Donaldson of Germany and Jarrod Hayes of Jerseyville; two great grandsons, Hayden LaPlant and Taylor Donaldson; seven great granddaughters, Jaleigh Smith, Emma LaPlant, Hadley Goss, Ella Goss, Kynleigh Donaldson, Kinsley Morris and Brianna Hayes; five step grandchildren, Breanna Cordes of Brighton and Brad Cordes of Jerseyville; Steven, Stephie and Timothy Meyer; four step great grandchildren, Blake, Mason and Skylynn Meyer and Easton Gaffney; along with his only sister and her husband, Mildred and Harry Davis of Jerseyville. He also leaves many nieces and nephews who he cared for and loved very much.

He is also survived by Mary's family, whom he considered his family, brothers and sisters in-law, Edgar and Edna Short of Jerseyville, Gary and Linda Short of Godfrey, Greg and Karen Short of Jerseyville, and Naomi Foolri of Seattle, Washington.

In addition to his parents and beloved wife, he was preceded in death by two infant great grandchildren, Jayden Hayes, son of granddaughter, Jamie Goss; and Paytin Morris, daughter of granddaughter Kristi (Hayes) Morris; his father in-law and mother in-law, Louis and Leoria Short; and a brother in-law, John Short.

Jim is now with his beloved wife Mary and his Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ.

Visitation will be from 4 to 8 p.m. Thursday at the Crawford Funeral Home in Jerseyville.

Funeral services will be conducted at 10 a.m. Friday at the First Baptist Church in Jerseyville, with Rev. Brent Meyer officiating.

He will be laid to rest alongside his wife at the Fieldon Cemetery.

Memorials may be given to the First Baptist Church in Jerseyville or to the Parkinsons Foundation.
 

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