Joe "JT" Thomas Hayes

Joe Thomas “JT” Hayes, of Ventura, passed away on Wednesday, June 10, 2015, following a courageous battle with cancer. He was born on November 7, 1927, in Charleston, Arkansas to Lloyd Thomas Hayes and Ida Hester Morgan Hayes. Joe’s family moved from Arkansas to Santa Paula where he grew up on the Limoneira Ranch. He attended Santa Paula schools and graduated from Santa Paula High School in 1947 after a year of service in the Merchant Marine Transport Service.

Joe married Ida Mae Hatcher of Santa Paula in 1948 and moved to Ventura in 1955. He lived in the Pierpont Beach area for nearly 60 years and was a founding member of the Good Time Donut Club, his favorite destination for his morning walks.

Joe worked in the petroleum trucking industry locally for Phillips 66, and then GATX in Long Beach, CA. Joe retired in 1990 from GATX and returned to his Ventura home.

Joe was preceded in death by his wife, Ida Mae. He is survived by his son and daughter-in-law, Tom and Donna Hayes, of Ventura; daughters and sons-in-law, Renee and Paul Fairweather, of Ventura, Lisa and Dave Moore, of Long Beach and Carol and Rodger McKinley, of Maple Valley, WA. Joe leaves behind his sister, Maerene Core of Tehachapi, CA. Joe enjoyed and was cherished by his six grandchildren and ten great-grandchildren. Joe is also survived by Edra Melnar, a special and loving friend for many years.

Funeral services will be held on Tuesday, June 16, 2015, 11:00 am, at Ted Mayr Funeral Home, 3150 Loma Vista Road, in Ventura.

Private burial will take place at Bardsdale Cemetery in Fillmore, where he will be laid to rest next to his wife, Ida.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the American Cancer Society.

Arrangements are under the direction of the Ted Mayr Funeral Home.