Arthur Hayes

HAYES, Arthur Bradsher "Brad"

Arthur Bradsher Hayes, known to all as Brad, was born on November 20, 1950, in Charlotte, North Carolina. He grew up in Atlanta, attending R.L. Hope and The Westminster Schools before heading to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where he proudly played baseball for the Tar Heels.

Returning to Atlanta, Brad built a successful career in real estate with Buckhead Brokers and Keller Williams. A natural born salesman, he never met a stranger and always "knew a guy." Confident, bold, and sometimes pushy, he could sell you something you didn't need and leave you grateful for it. With charm, unforgettable presence, and eyebrows that practically told their own stories, Brad was impossible to ignore.

Brad lived life with relentless energy. Always in motion, juggling projects, cooking giant pots of Brunswick stew, renovating, or planning the next party, he approached everything with flair. After winning a Steve Martin lookalike contest at a Hawks game, he earned the title "wild and crazy guy," a nickname that couldn't have suited him better.

Strong willed and occasionally stubborn, Brad was deeply generous and loyal. He loved sharing his passions, from cooking to gardening. His tomatoes were famous, hydrangeas enviable, and birdhouses always busy. And while he valued health, his love of ice cream was nonnegotiable.

Brad cherished people. His childhood friends from Brookhaven were golden to him, their adventures the stuff of legend. They were his chosen family, his sounding board, and sometimes his project crew. To know Brad was to be fed like royalty, hugged like he meant it, and occasionally put to work, but always with love. In later years, he also found deep connection and spiritual grounding through his men's Bible study group, a source of faith, meaning and growth.

At heart, Brad was a storyteller. With natural cadence, sharp detail, and just enough embellishment, he brought every tale to life. His book, King of the Southern Diamond, was both his passion and legacy. From 2020 onward, no one escaped his handshake, proud smile, or persuasive pitch to buy a copy. Baseball was his great love: he collected memorabilia, befriended players, and rarely missed a Braves home opener. On the tennis court, his attention grabbing cry of "lights out" before a point became legendary.

Most of all, Brad was a proud father to Bo and Jenny and a doting "Opa" to his granddaughters, Pearl and Olive. He was confident, gritty, determined, and full of heart, a true force.

Brad was preceded in death by his son, Bo; parents, Mary and Fred; brother, Freddy; and sister, Liz. He is survived by daughter, Jenny (Brian); granddaughters, Pearl and Olive; sister, Dottie (Harry) Lange; nephews, John, David, and John Hayes; and nieces, Anna, Eleanor, and Mary.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Clubhouse Atlanta (www.clubhouseatlanta.org) in Bo's memory. A service to celebrate Brad's life will be held at Peachtree Church, on September 30, at 2 PM.