AVON - Rev. Wesley J. "Jay" Hawes, 45, of Avon, died Wed. Nov. 7, 2001, at EMH Regional Medical Center, following an automobile crash in Eaton Township.
He was born Sept. 21, 1956, in Geneva, a son of Wesley and Judith (Speece)
Hawes. He had been a resident of
Lorain County for the past five years, coming from Delaware. A 1975 Geneva High School graduate, where he
played varsity sports, he went on to graduate from Mount Vernon Nazarene
College with a degree in business. He completed ministerial adult studies and
was ordained an elder in the Church of the Nazarene in 1995.
He graduated in Oct. 2000 from the K-Church Project-School of Large Church
Management. He was president of Greater Cleveland Westside Holiness Crusade,
board member of the Ministerial Studies Board and the finance committee of
North Central Ohio District of the Nazarene Church.
Following high school, he was employed with Eagle Hill Orchards, Geneva. In
1978, he was employed with United Parcel Service, Austinburg Township. He was a
driver for 6 1/2 years, and then went into management for an additional 6 1/2
years. It was at this time that he received his call to the ministry.
In 1990, he and his wife Judy,
co-directed a daycare at Cleveland First Church of the Nazarene. In 1992, Hawes
received his first pastorate at Shelby Church of the Nazarene in Shelby. In
1995, he became the children's pastor and business administrator of Delaware
Church of the Nazarene in Delaware. On Sept. 30, 1996, he became the pastor of
Elyria Community Church of the Nazarene. His ministry in this church was his
life and he had a vision for this church and community.
He enjoyed golf, collecting eagle
artifacts, doing yard work and being outdoors, but most importantly, spending
time with his wife, children and family.
Survivors include his parents; his wife of 23 years, Judy (Fitzwater); two sons, Airmen 1st Class Jarod, serving with the U.S. Air Force in Colorado Springs, Co., Jacob, a student at Mt. Vernon Nazarene College; a daughter, Aimee, a student at Mt. Vernon Nazarene College; three brothers, Kevin and Kirk of Orlando, and Jeffrey of Kansas City, Kan.; and a sister, Annisa "Ug" Dudas of Ashville.
Service is 11 a.m. Monday at Elyria Community Church of the Nazarene, 1107
Clemens Ave., Elyria, and then at 3 p.m. Monday at the Geneva Church of the
Nazarene, 710 Centennial St., Geneva. The Rev. David Wilson, superintendent of
the North Central Ohio Church of the Nazarene and the Rev. Shirley Deemer,
pastor of Geneva Church of the Nazarene will officiate. Burial will be in
Evergreen Cemetery, Geneva. Visitation
will be 3 to 7 p.m. Sunday at the Elyria Community Church of the Nazarene. Memorials may be made to the Pastor Wesley
J. Hawes Memorial Fund, First Merit Bank, 105 Court St., Elyria, Ohio 44035
which was established for his children's education.
Arrangements by Busch Curtis Scheuffler Family Chapel in Elyria.
.