James Earnest (Jim) Hayes, Jr. (1997 – February 26, 2007)

Rev. James Earnest (Jim) Hayes, Jr. was born to Dr. James Earnest and Vesta Lee (nee Ready) Hayes on August 1, 1946. On September 19, 1976, Jim wed (Delores) Dianne Boggan in Meridian, Mississippi. The have three children: Dorothy Lee, James Mark and Neil Boggan.

Rev. Hayes received a Bachelor of Arts from Virginia Military Institute in 1967, after which he did graduate work at Memphis State University (1968 and 1969) before enrolling in Reformed Theological Seminary in Jackson, Mississippi, from which he was awarded a Master of Divinity in 1985. Rev. Hayes also began work toward a Doctorate in Ministry from RTS.

Prior to ordination, Rev. Hayes served as Youth Director and Student Pastoral Assistant for Mr. Salus Church in Clinton, Mississippi, from 1983-1985. Rev. Hayes was ordained on August 4, 1985 by the Southern Florida Presbytery of the Presbyterian Church in America as Associate Pastor of Old Cutler Presbyterian Church, Miami, Florida. After that, he served as Interim Pastor of Pinelands Presbyterian Church in Miami from 1988 to 1989 and Pastor of Northside Presbyterian Church in Sherwood, Arkansas from 1989 to 1991.

Rev. Hayes then served as Chaplain of Haywood Methodist Hospital of Brownsville, Tennessee, from 1994 to 2007 and Hillhaven Nursing Home in Ripley, Tennessee, from 1994 to 2007. In 1998, Rev. Hayes became the Pastor of Hickory Withe Presbyterian Church, serving for the next nine years.

Rev. Hayes left Hickory Withe Presbyterian Church in February 2007 and resided in Warner Robins, Georgia, where he taught Biology at Georgia Military College. Rev. Hayes passed away on March 29, 2012. Dianne resides in Meridian, Mississippi.