James C. "Jim" Hayes

1946 - 2022

James C. Hayes, "Jim", a lifetime public servant, pastor, husband, father and grandfather, passed on June 9, 2022. Born in Sacramento, California, on May 25, 1946, to Caustella and Juanita Hayes (Metoyer), he moved to Fairbanks in 1955, graduating from Austin E. Lathrop High School in 1965. He earned his Bachelors of Arts in education with minors in sociology and psychology from the University of Alaska Fairbanks in 1970.

Upon graduation, Jim began teaching at Joy Elementary School. He also worked as special assistant to the Alaska Attorney General for Consumer Affairs. A lifetime public servant, Jim was elected to the Fairbanks North Star Borough Board of Education in 1973, serving as the first African-American elected to that position. In 1992, Jim was elected mayor of Fairbanks and served until the end of his third term in 2001. Not only was he the first African-American mayor elected in Alaska, he was the first mayor in the city's history to serve three consecutive terms.

Jim served in many roles in the Fairbanks community as well as on the state and national level. He was a member of the city of Fairbanks Transportation Commission, the Public Utilities Board, the Human Rights Commission, the State of Alaska Governor's Task Force, and University of Alaska Board of Regents. He was selected as Outstanding Young Man of America by the National Jaycees and also served on the National League of Cities Steering Committee. Jim was awarded the University of Alaska Distinguished Alumnus award in 2002. He served as a member of the United Good Neighbors of the Tanana Valley, the local NAACP, the Southside Voters League, the Fairbanks Black Caucus, and the Interdenominational Ministerial Alliance. In additional to his community service, Jim was pastor of the Lily of the Valley Church of God in Christ from 1997 until 2008.

Jim leaves to mourn his passing his loving and dedicated wife of 48 years, M. Chris Hayes of Fairbanks; his daughter, LaNene Scott, and son-in-law, Michael Scott; granddaughter, Courtney Pruitt, and great-grandson, Devin Robinson Jr. of Las Vegas, Nevada; his son, James L. Hayes, and daughter-in-law, Tamara Hayes, M.D., and grandchildren Thomas, Joy and Timothy Hayes of Annapolis, Maryland; and a host of nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends throughout the Golden Heart City and beyond.

A public viewing will take place on June 16 from noon until 5 p.m. at Chapel of Chimes Funeral Home, 415 Illinois St. in Fairbanks. Jim's celebration of life will be held on Friday, June 17, at 11 a.m. at Mount Pleasant Baptist Church, 3030 Peger Road, Fairbanks, Alaska, 99709. The burial service will follow at Northern Lights Memorial Cemetery, 2318 Yankovich Road in Fairbanks.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests contributions be made to the Mount Pleasant Baptist Church Building Fund or the American Diabetes Association of Alaska.