Florence Giddens Hayes, 68, of Tifton passed away Thursday, September 23, 2021, at Grady General Hospital in Cairo. A graveside funeral service will be held for Ms. Hayes at 3:00 p.m. Sunday, September 26, 2021, at Oak Ridge Cemetery, where she will be laid to rest. The Rev. Greg Hester will officiate. The family will receive friends on Sunday, September 26, 2021, from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. in the Chapel of Bowen-Donaldson Home for Funerals.
Harold Turner, Wallace Turner, Troy Murphy, Jeb DeLoach, Dakota Tatum and Timothy “Bubba” Bruner will serve as pallbearers. Honorary pallbearers will be employees of WalMart.
Born March 19, 1953, in Tift County, Ms. Hayes was the daughter of the late Ernest Thelbert Giddens and Carolyn Sammons Giddens. Her honorary parents and the ones she was raised by were the late J. B. Giddens and Bronnie Brown. In addition to her parents, she was also preceded in death by her twin sister, Florene Giddens; a nephew, Wayne Horton; and a cousin, Connie DeLoach. Before retiring, she was a salesclerk at Walmart. She loved her grandchildren, her nieces and her nephews and she loved trying new recipes.
Ms. Hayes is survived by two daughters and sons-in-law, Shannon and Greg Hester of Cairo and Kimberley and Robbie Baker of Lenox; one brother, Buddy Giddens of Lenox; four sisters and one brother-in-law, Ernestine Farmer of Ocilla, Pam and Glynn Joiner of Nashville and Diane Barber and Elaine Jones, both of Tifton; her care-giver, Rena Walker of Cairo, who she loved like a daughter; her grandchildren, Kailyn Hester, Robbie Baker, Elijah Hester and Leighann Baker; an honorary grandchild, Hallie Godwin; one great-grandchild, Twyla Godwin Shurley; and five living cousins, Anita Taylor, Becky Brinkley and Mike Giddens, all of Tifton, Rita Jackson of Omega and Eric Giddens of Adel.
Flowers will be accepted or memorial gifts may be made to the American Diabetes Association, 5105 Paulsen Street, Savannah, GA 31405.