Leslie "Les" A. Hayward

ARITON…Mr. Leslie “Les” A. Hayward, a resident of Ariton, died early Monday morning, May 13, 2024, at his home. He was 72.

            Funeral services, with military and fire department honors, will be held at 2:00 P.M. Friday, May 17, 2024, in the Rocky Head Baptist Church with Chaplain Charles Goldsmith officiating. The family will receive friends from 1:00 until 2:00 P.M. Friday at the church. Fuqua Bankston Funeral Home of Ozark is in charge of arrangements.

            Mr. Hayward, son of the late Henry Harrison Hayward and Margie Marie Dotson Hayward, was a native of Toledo, Ohio. He moved to Ariton in 1994, where he became active in community service. Mr. Hayward was a member of the Ariton Fire & Rescue, serving as Assistant Fire Chief, a Reserve Deputy Sheriff for the Dale County Sheriff’s Office and Ariton Police Officer. Some of his hobbies included going hunting, fishing, and giving back to his community. He was preceded in death by two sons, Leslie Allen Hayward, Jr. and George Minton.

            Surviving relatives include his wife of twenty-seven years, Nancy L. Hayward, Ariton; two daughters, Brenda Marksch (Kenneth) and Victoria Duty, all of Toledo, Ohio; two sons, Kevin Lesinszki (Ashlie), Ariton and John Minton (Sara), Toledo, Ohio; a sister, Debbie Barnett, Toledo, Ohio; five brothers, his twin, Lee Hayward (Sherry), Las Vegas, Nevada, Carey Dotson, Michigan, Joseph Cser (Lisa), Temperance, Michigan, Michael Cser, and Keith Hayward (Fran), all of Toledo, Ohio; thirteen grandchildren and one great-granddaughter.