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William Calvin Hayes
Jesup—William Calvin Hayes, 96, of Jesup died April 14, 2026.
The Wayne County native was a faithful member of Jesup First United Methodist Church and the Joy Sunday School Class and a U.S. Army veteran who continued to serve his country in the Army National Guard for many years. He was a 33-year management retiree with Rayonier and held the position of Wayne County’s first administrator. He was a lifelong member of the Jesup Elks Lodge, and in his leisure time, he was all about family.
His wife of 72 years, Johnnie Eleanor Hodge Hayes, preceded him in death.
Survivors are his loving and faithful daughter, Debbie Hayes (Jimmy) Matuse of Blackshear, and granddaughters, Lauren Stephens and Rachel Stephens, both of Brunswick.
Funeral services will be held Friday at 11 a.m. at Jesup First United Methodist Church with the Rev. Rebecca Duke-Barton and Dink NeSmith officiating. Interment will follow in Pinecrest Memorial Cemetery. Active pallbearers will be Craig Davis, Keith Spell, Bobby Lamb, Ray Stephens, Hershel Daniel and Paul Greico. Honorary pallbearers will be members of the FUMC Joy Sunday School class.
Visitation will be held an hour prior to services at the church.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Jesup First United Methodist Church, 205 E. Cherry Street, Jesup, GA 31546.
Rinehart and Sons Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Rev. Edgar Waters
Jesup—The Rev. James Edgar Waters Sr., 87, of Jesup, died peacefully on April 12, 2026.
He was born in Baxley and moved to Jesup at age 16, where he met the love of his life, Aletha Flowers, on the school bus. He was a 1956 graduate of Jesup High School. He married Aletha in 1957, and they welcomed four children over the next 15 years. In the late 1950s and early 1960s, he owned and operated the Phillips 66 Station on Cherry Street and the Gulf Oil Station on Hwy. 301 before going to work at Rayonier.
In 1966, he obeyed God’s call to ministry and moved the family to Dayton, Ohio, before moving again to Waresboro. In 1969, he moved to East Point, where he would spend the remainder of his ministry years at the East Point Church of God. In 2022, he finally retired (the second time) to his beloved Wayne County, where he enjoyed life on the farm. The story of his life was compiled into a 2018 book, Borrowed Faith: The Power of God in My Life’s Journey, a testimony of God’s faithfulness and the miracles he witnessed through his ministry years.
Known and beloved by all who knew him, he was husband, Daddy, Poppy, Uncle Edgar, “Rev,” Pastor Waters, brother, neighbor, prayer warrior, counselor, preacher, trusted confidant, and friend to all. He never met a stranger, and, if he ever said he would pray for you, you could rest assured you were prayed for earnestly with conviction in the power of the Holy Spirit.
He was predeceased by his parents, James L. Waters and O’Kella McLeod Waters of Jesup, and brothers, Eugene Waters of Savannah and David Waters of Jesup.
Survivors include his beloved wife of 68 years, Aletha Flowers Waters; sons, James Edgar
“Eddie” Waters Jr. of Odum and Robert Earl (Hope) Waters of Jesup; daughters, Susan (Craig) Howell of Sylvester and Joy (Chris) Fowler of Jesup; grandchildren, Joseph (Reagan) Waters of Newnan, Jordan Waters of Odum, Craig (Hannah) Howell Jr. of Mount Olive, Alabama, Ryan (Maria) Howell of Newnan, Aaron (Maggie) Waters of Jesup, Alex Fowler of Jesup, Josh Howell of Auburn, Alabama, Hope Fowler (Jeff) Unger of Athens, Anna Howell of Sylvester, and Logan Thompson (Jasper) Dubberly of Augusta; great-grandchildren, Joseph Reid Waters of Odum, Amelia Rose Howell of Newnan, Romy Joan Unger, Dylan Jane Waters of Newnan, Emmanuel Oliver Howell of Newnan, Mattie Brooks Dubberly and Craig Howell III (to be born in Mount Olive, Alabama in June 2026); brothers, Joe Cleveland (Marie) Waters of Augusta and Edwin Waters of Brunswick; sisters-in-law, Virginia F. Floyd of Jesup, Nelia F. Jeffords of Lawrenceville and Linda Waters of Jesup; dozens of nieces and nephews he cherished as if they were his own children; and a flock of church members from his 56 years of Gospel ministry whom he dearly loved and faithfully served.
“While we grieve this tremendous loss, we do not grieve as those who have no hope. We know that, because we have placed our faith in Jesus, we will be reunited with him in eternity,” his family said.
Funeral services were held April 15 at Jesup Church of God with the Rev. Scott Hatten and the Rev. Craig Howell officiating. Interment was held at Pinecrest Memorial Cemetery in Jesup. The family would like to thank The Church of Eleven22 for their outpouring of love and support.
Rinehart Funeral Home of Jesup was in charge of arrangements.