Geneva "Ginny" Stephens Swails Hayman

Geneva (Ginny) Stephens Swails Hayman, 84, of Albany, GA died Monday, March 19, 2018 at Phoebe Putney Memorial Hospital. Funeral services will be conducted Friday at 11:00 a.m. at Byne Memorial Baptist Church. Rev. Joe Lumpkin will officiate. Interment will follow at 3:00 p.m. at Leila United Methodist Church Cemetery in Tift Co., GA. Ginny Swails Hayman was a wife, mother, grandmother, and homemaker. She lived in Albany, GA since 1969 and was a member of Byne Memorial Baptist Church. She was married to Claude Swails from 1952 until his death in 1981. She followed him around the world for twenty years as he served in the United States Air Force. She loved her Lord, her family, her friends, and the city of Albany and was dedicated to tirelessly serving them all. Her service to the community included: The Ladies’ Neighborhood Bible Study, which she started and taught for forty-three years. Out of the Bible study grew a ministry to eight nursing homes, at home shut-ins, and many that needed counsel or a caring friend. She served on several boards and committees including: Aldon, The Homeless Board, The Anchorage, The Mayor’s Prayer Breakfast, The National Day of Prayer, Byne Memorial Christian School Board, Mallary Baptist Association, and Season’s Christian Care/Lamad Ministry. She also served as a chaplain for the Phoebe Putney Memorial Hospital. In 2001 both Volunteer Albany and Palmyra Nursing Home named her Volunteer of the year. In 2013 she was awarded the Stop The Violence Community Service Award. She had a passion for missions and did short term mission trips and supported missionaries throughout the world. She worked with the Billy Graham Crusade as a counselor in Berlin, Germany and with Elisabeth Elliot ministries. She was a great friend, counselor, confidant, Bible Teacher, and mentor to so many throughout her life. Her impact and loss will be felt for many, many years by her family and anyone who had the privilege of knowing her. As her grandson, Josh Shirley, used to say, “Grandmamma baked four pound cakes, taught a Bible study, and led three people to the Lord before I even got out of bed in the morning.” She was preceded in death by her parents, William Thomas Stephens and Sallie Belle Moore Stephens, her first husband, Claudus B. Swails, and a brother, Jimmie Stephens. She is survived by her husband of thirty-four years, Harold O. Hayman, Albany, GA, a son, Alan Swails (Christa), Jacksonville, FL, a daughter, Debi Bobo (Tommy), Broadway, NC, three step-sons, David Hayman (Linda), Hahira, GA, Dean Hayman (Kay), Albany, GA, Ted Hayman (Laura), Lake Blackshear, GA, a step-daughter, Lori Goolsby (Mike), Stockbridge, GA, grandchildren, Joshua Shirley (Amy), Duluth, GA, Janna Henderson (Brian), Leesburg, GA, Christie Swails, Leesburg, GA, Janae Shirley Santiago (Frankie), Sylvester, GA and also Philadelphia, PA, Mica Duran (Antonio), Marietta, GA, Cody Gilreath (Santana), Howe, TX, Stephen Alan Swails, Leesburg, GA, Holly Swails, Leesburg, GA, Kelly Hayman (Brooke), Knoxville, TN, Mike Hayman (Mandy), Altus, OK, Jennifer Guinn (Bobby), Boston, GA, Ashleigh Hayman, Duluth, GA, Jacob Hayman (Joy), Colquitt, GA, Austin Goolsby, Mason Goolsby and Parker Goolsby all of Stockbridge, GA, and nine great-grandchildren. Those wishing to make donations may do so in memory of Geneva “Ginny” Swails Hayman to The Anchorage (anchorageofalbany.org), or Indian Springs Holiness Campground (indianspringscampmeeting.org) or Gideons International (gideons.org) The family will receive friends Thursday from 6:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. at Mathews Funeral Home.