Clarence (Bud) Jones Hayes III

Clarence Jones (Bud) Hayes III

Bud Hayes of Mansfield, Texas, formerly of Savannah, Georgia passed away peacefully surrounded by family on 11/30/2024. He fought a brief but fierce battle with cancer. Mr. Hayes was 70 years old.

He was born in Tarboro, North Carolina but grew up in Savannah, Georgia. He graduated from Windsor Forest High School and attended Armstrong State College before beginning his career with Pier One Imports. He was a member of Phi Kappa Phi fraternity.

Bud’s career brought him to Texas and eventually to Mansfield where he and his wife Terry raised their daughter Emily. He retired as VP of Supply Chain for Office Depot after having moved to Ohio and Florida. 

Bud was an enigmatic character – fierce on the football field, but with a gentle and kind-hearted soul and a peace sign on his football helmet. He often had his baby sister, Milly, in tow while exploring the Windsor Forest woods (which he accidentally set on fire). He lassoed an alligator with his belt, and he captured 2 species of snakes that had never been documented in the Southeast. He caught countless snakes and was able to attend Ross Allen Reptile Institute as a boy. 

He has been described as one of a kind, with countless stories to tell. He had an eclectic love of music ranging from his hippie days listening to Led Zepplin, to delta blues, folk, metal, industrial rock and most recently Americana. He spoke to everyone he saw and as trite as it sounds, he knew no strangers. He could carry on great conversations on topics from politics, history, sports, science, human rights, music. He was struck by lightning and run over by a car. He rescued someone from drowning at Tybee Island. He despised racism and bigotry, and he was an advocate for the vulnerable and for women’s rights. 

Bud married his high school sweetheart, Terry whom he met when they were 14 years old. The two were inseparable. Their love for one another was evident and they shared a strong and unyielding bond. The two were passionate about politics, great food and wine, SEC football (Go Dawgs!), salt-water fishing, true friends and most of all family. Perhaps Bud was most known for his incredibly sharp and ever-present sense of humor which was evident even as he was in his final moments. 

Bud was a unique, highly energetic, intelligent, fair and kind man. He truly valued all human connection and accepted people for who they are not for what others expected them to be. He had a joyful presence and razor-sharp wit. His love for his family was uncompromising, and he spent the years after his retirement helping to raise his grandsons whom he adored. He had a very special connection with each one of them. He coached and mentored, lectured and educated, watched theater productions, laughed and loved on his boys. His sisters, sister-in-law, nieces, nephew and their spouses were vital to him. His brothers-in-law had to pass mighty tests to be worthy of Rosanne and Milly. Family to Bud included dear friends whom he cherished. He had a special connection with many others he considered his own including his buddies Ashton, William and Kevin. His daughter Emily was the absolute light of his life. His one and only daughter, a daddy’s girl for sure, was the center of his universe. They spent much time together enjoying music, cooking and playing fantasy football. Bud was an avid UGA fan, and when his grandson Dylan chose to attend LSU, Bud’s love was evident when he was brave enough to wear the purple and gold.

He passed away on his oldest grandson, Austin’s birthday. It was a typical way for Bud to pass the reigns of his family to the next generation. 

Bud attended Trinity Episcopal Church in Fort Worth, though organized religion was only part of his spirituality.

He was preceded in death by his parents Clarence and Martha Hayes, his sister Rosanne Hayes MacCauley and in laws Doc and Margaret Kemp. He is survived by his wife of 49 years, Terry Hayes, daughter Emily Hayes (Witte), grandsons Austin, Dylan and Jackson Witte, sister Milly Bouy (Brett), brother in law Steven MacCauley, sister in law, Stacey Kemp, nieces Anne Bouy Vater (David), Claire Bouy Hanzel (Drew), Diana MacCauley, Lainey Warren and Danielle Warren Hobbs (Bryan), nephew David MacCauley and numerous great-nieces and nephews.