James "Jimbo" R. Hays

Funeral service for Mr. James R. “Jimbo” Hays, 71, of Farmerville, LA, will be held at 3:00PM Tuesday, August 22, 2023, in the chapel of Mulhearn Funeral Home West Monroe with Rev. Richard Richardson Jr. officiating. Interment will follow in St. Paschal’s Cemetery. Visitation will be from 1:00PM until 3:00PM Tuesday at the funeral home.

Jimbo was born in Monroe, La the 5^th of 7 children.  All of his sisters will tell you he was the favorite child. He was raised in West Monroe and graduated from West Monroe High School in 1969.  Jimbo was a devoted son, husband, father, grandfather and brother.  He married the love of his life when he was 17 years old and they made many memories throughout the years seeing the country riding motorcycles, hunting and enjoying his retirement on Lake Darbonne.  He loved his family and loved to spend time with his boys and grandkids doing the things that he loved.  Jimbo could be found riding his lawnmower cutting his grass to perfection, tending to his cows, riding a tractor at the camp or pointing his finger giving instruction to anyone who would listen to him all while wearing his overalls.

Jimbo was an Air Force Veteran who served as a helicopter engineer in Thailand and Vietnam.  He began working for D&J Construction in 1967 and retired in 2021  as Vice President of Asphalt Production. The employees at D&J were his co-workers as well as his family.  He worked alongside some of his best friends where they worked hard and played hard. 

He began going to Davis Island as a horse rider in 1975 and became a member of the Kellogg Hunting Club in 1980.  He spent most of his weekends and days off at the camp making memories and swapping stories with his friends and family.  He had some great times at the Island and those memories are left with his family and friends to cherish. 

Mr. Hays was preceded in death by his parents, Harry Hays and Elodie Hays; son, James Russell Hays Jr.; brother, Harry Hays Jr.; and brother-in-law, Hugh Britt.

Survivors include his wife of 53 years, Cindy Thompson Hays; two sons, Brandon Hays and wife Rebecca and Josh Hays and wife Ashley; grandchildren, Luke Hays, Connor Hays, Ella Hays, John Paul Hays, and Audrey Hays; sisters, Harriett Flanagan, Martha Guraedy and husband Richard, Mary Britt, Dorothy Tannehill and husband Benny, and Cynthia McGibboney; numerous nieces and nephews; and his dog, Tootsie.

Pallbearers will be Luke Hays, Connor Hays, John Paul Hays, Mike Klangos, Mike “PoJo” Bates, Ricky Eads, Harold Sones, and Ed Reneau. Honorary pallbearers will be Richard Richardson Sr., Lonnie McCurry Sr., Charles VanZile and members of  Davis Island Hunting Club “Kellogg”.

In lieu of flowers, memorials can be made to St Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

Family will receive friends following the graveside service at LaRaie located at 149 Wallace Dean Rd in West Monroe.