Farewell, Friend

Our condolences to the family and acquaintance of Cecil Hayes of Dalton, GA, who passed away on Feb. 17 after a massive heart attack. Hayes owned Dalton Wrecker for 37 years.

Here's the message that was sent to us by his family:
"Cecil was a local hero of sorts. He employed several young boys over the 37 years he ran Dalton Wrecker. These boys soon turned into men of strong moral character under his leadership, therefore strengthening the community one young person at a time.

"He also always had a helping hand to offer those in need. This connection to his community showed greatly at the funeral services. Local firemen, police and many wrecker companies from as far as 50 miles away took time from their businesses to show their support during the funeral procession. One wrecker driver said, 'I didn't know Cecil personally, but I have always heard wonderful things about him and I wanted to be here.' That says a lot about the kind of man he was.

"Only one thing meant more to Cecil than his wreckers and that was family. He and his wife, Ruby, had a strong and lasting marriage of 48 years. He ran Dalton Wrecker with his two sons, Cecil, Jr. and Jimmy, who plan to continue on in honor of their father. Their hope is to continue to impact the small town of Dalton in the same way as their father always has and to run the family company with the same honest integrity. Last, but not least, are his grandchildren whom he adored. He always took the time, no matter how busy he was, to show each of his three granddaughters just how much they meant to him.

"This loss shows us how much of an impact a wrecker driver has on all the people he meets every day. His community depends greatly on him and his ability to show up and save the day when trouble strikes. Our Wrecker Man will be greatly missed."
-Anne Hayes