James Earl Hayes

James Earl Hayes, 80, of Bishopville, SC, husband of Patricia Hayes entered eternal rest on Monday, March 17, 2025, at his home with his family by his side.
Born April 2, 1944, in the Ashwood area of Lee County, SC he was the son of the late Robert Lee Hayes and the late Lucile Wallace Hayes. James enjoyed life and loved playing golf, cards, bowling, listening to old country music, watching NASCAR races, wrestling and westerns. He enjoyed racing go-carts and won many trophies. He also enjoyed riding his horse Sam with family and friends. He loved helping others and believed in family. He had a place on Lake Wateree where he enjoyed fishing, boating and having a good time making memories with family and friends.
He had many different jobs in his lifetime from working in cotton and tobacco fields, working at DuPont and running his own business, Hayes Janitorial Service. He provided maintenance to several businesses, including Robert E. Lee Academy, for many years. Along with his wife, Patricia Hayes, they ran the Dixie Café on Main Street for many years. He enlisted in the National Guard in 1962 and served honorably for eight years earning medals for marksmanship for pistol, rifle and machine gun.
After surviving a horrible head on car collision that broke both of his legs and resulted in the loss of one of his best friends, he came home to the "Hill". He arrived home from the hospital on a stretcher with his legs being held down with sandbags. James lived his life in several different locations of Bishopville, but the irony of his story is that he ended up back up on his "Hill" where he had built his first home 60 years ago.
He will be greatly missed by his family, friends and all who knew him and that number was enormous!
He was married to Patricia Hayes for 45 years and his first wife Judy Truesdale (Gerald) for 13 years. He was a loving father to Tina Falls (Glen), Tammy Kelly (Darrell) and stepfather to Veronica McDaniel (Jerry deceased), Kevin Thurston (Sabre), Jennifer Mickle, and Michael Thurston. He has 17 grandchildren and 13 great-grandchildren: three brothers, Bobby Hayes (Italeen), Ralph Hayes (Francis), Doug Hayes (Jean deceased) and several nieces and nephews.
In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his sister Dorothy Hayes and his brothers Lee Hayes (Ellen deceased), Mac Hayes (Julie deceased), and Charles Hayes (Belinda deceased).
A Memorial service will be held 2 P.M. Saturday, March 29, 2025, in the Elmore-Cannon-Stephens Funeral Home Chapel.
The family will receive friends from 1 to 2 P.M. Saturday, March 29, 2025, at the Elmore-Cannon-Stephens Funeral Home.
Elmore-Cannon-Stephens Funeral Home and Crematorium of Sumter is in charge of the arrangements.