George Leroy Hayward

George Leroy Hayward, age 83, of Sabula IA, formerly of Green Island, IA, passed away on March 13, 2024, at home. A funeral service will be held at 10:30 a.m., Tuesday, March 19, 2024, at Law Jones Funeral Home in Preston, IA. Visitation will take place from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m., Monday March 18, at Law Jones Funeral Home in Preston, as well as one hour prior to Tuesday’s service. Burial will follow at Reeseville cemetery.

George was born August 23, 1940, the son of Russell and Algean (Krumviede) Hayward, Sr. He grew up in Jackson County, graduating from Andrew High School with the class of 1959. George was a high school baseball star and went on to play for the minor league team, the Elmore Minnesota Wildcats. At the age of 23, George even tried out for the Chicago Cubs and Pittsburgh Pirates. When he wasn’t playing baseball in those younger years, George worked with his dad, selling and delivering trees and fence posts. He would later make a career out of construction, working for various companies over the decades. On September 27, 1970 George married Theresa Mohr. They would have three children together, and later divorce.

George spent most of his life in Green Island, never venturing far; and that’s the way he liked it. He enjoyed the simple things in life, like playing slow pitch softball into his 50’s and coaching peewee baseball, as well as small game hunting, fishing with his sister, Judy, and going for country drives. He was the type of man that would quite literally give you the shirt off his back, and always greeted you with a hard candy and a quick smile. He loved spending his days at the Sandbar Restaurant, in Sabula; sometimes eating all three meals there, and for years, spent many an evening listening to country music, or his brothers’ band at Mooney Hollow.

George is survived by his children, Melisa (Michael) Clausen, of Miles, IA, Brodie (Sarah) Hayward, of Morrison, IL, and Laura (Mark) Roach, of Sabula, IA; 10 grandchildren, Benjamin Clausen, Eileen Isbell, Avery Keller, Payton Hayward, Morgan Lathrop, Logan Henke, Aaron Hayward, Timothy Roach, Shelby Nieman, and Abigail Baker; six great grandchildren; three siblings, Robert (Sandra) Hayward, of Clinton, IA; Russell (Shawna) Hayward, Jr., of Miles, IA, and Diane Barker, of Maquoketa, IA; sisters-in-law, Sue Hayward and Sue Corlis; and brother-in-law, Sam Dobson. George is preceded in death by his parents; sisters, Arlis (Donnie) Krabbenhoft, Lorraine Dobson, and Judy Reed; and brother, Tom Hayward.