Obituaries

Guy L. “Jeep” Hayes

Guy L. “Jeep” Hayes, age 87, of Morristown, passed away on Saturday, June 6, 2026 at his residence. He was born May 24, 1939 in the Point Pleasant Community of Cocke County. He was a member of the Circle C Cowboy Church. Guy was a graduate of Newport High School Class of 1957. As a teenager Guy held various farmhand jobs in the community, worked at Berkline for a brief time, and went on to work at Enka/BASF for 37 years and retired at the age of 55. In his younger years he enjoyed hunting and later in life loved going fishing and watching Nascar races. He was a loving and devoted husband, father, grandfather and great grandfather and will be dearly missed. He was preceded in death by his parents, Harrison Hayes and Ruth Hayes; son, Joey Hayes; brothers, Infant brother and Bill Hayes; mother-in-law, Ruth Leppard; father-in-law, Jerry Godby; brother-in-law, Rick (Sharlene) Godby; and aunt and uncle, Jim and Gloris Roberts. He is survived by his wife of 42 years, Shirley Hayes; son, Darrell “D.G.” Hayes; step-sons, Jerry (Bobbie) Hinton, and Terry (Rio) Hinton; step-daughters, Shonda Jackson, Amanda (Joe) Bowers, and Linda Huskey; brothersin- law, Jerry “Randy” (Roxy) Godby, Michael Godby, and John (Joy) Godby; sisters-in-law, Linda Huskey and Tina (Mark) Barnard; special friends, Bill “Blair” (Donna) Phillips, and Paula Carroll; 21 grandchildren; 19 great grandchildren; several nieces and nephews and special friends in the Newport Class of 57. A special thank you to Gentiva Hospices and nurses Judy, Cheyenne, Sarah, and Alisha.

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Music and Choir Director Randy Adams dies at age 91

Randolph “Randy” H. Adams, died on May 29, 2026, at Johson City Medical Center following a prolonged illness. Randy was born and raised in Lawn, TX on April 10, 1935. He pursued his love of music at Westminster Choir College in Princeton, New Jersey. After his graduation in 1959, he relocated to Morristown, Tennessee and served for 15 years as Minister of Music at First United Methodist Church. Additionally, he was the founder and director of the Hamblen County Choral Society for 20 years.

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