James Otis "Possum" Hayes II's Obituary
James “Possum” Otis Hayes III was born in Lott, Tx to Marshall A. Hayes Jr. and Erma Lucile Dunagan Hayes, the fifth of six children, on February 29, 1944 and met Jesus face to glorious face on December 11, 2025. A celebration of life will be held at 1:00pm on Sunday, December 14,2025, at Elmira Chapel Cumberland Presbyterian Church in Spring Hill, TX.
Many stories are told in the Hayes family of things being lit on fire and thrown from windows by all of the siblings, James most definitely included. He remained positive Lott, TX is the shining star of Texas his entire life, telling his kids for years everyone famous was somehow from there. He garnered the nickname “Possum” in childhood and the name will live on through all of his family and friends.
He was a proud Boy Scout, high school athlete at Pine Tree and college track runner at Kilgore Jr College, where he met his future wife Paula on the bus ride back and forth from Longview. With the help of others on the bus, the beautiful and talented girl finally had shy Possum sitting with her where he asked her out. Later, he was a proud graduate of Stephen F. Austin State University in 1966. That seemed the perfect time to also marry his favorite girl, Paula Ray Sutton.
He then headed into the https://U.S.Navy and proudly served on the USS Malala and the USS Pictor. He traveled for many years in later life for Pictor reunions, always enjoying time with his fellow Navy brothers, although he never again ate pork loin or boarded another ship after discharging from service. After serving, he started working for an accounting firm in Kilgore. He moved on to OG Murphy CPA firm before starting his own CPA practice in Longview, TX.
His daughter Heather was born in 1971 and his son Paul came along in 1974, much to Possum’s delight and to Heather’s chagrin .
Possum joyfully coached Paul’s soccer teams from 1980 through 1989 and politely sat through Heather’s dance and drill team shows. During these years, he and Paula helped start St. John’s Cumberland Presbyterian Church in White Oak, Texas, with several longtime friends. The family attended here until its closing in 1988, after which they, and several remaining members, transferred to Elmira Chapel in Spring Hill and there they stayed.
Until his final hospital stay, Possum continued working. He truly loved helping his clients and the challenges of dealing with the IRS. Starting in 1997, he traveled to South Texas many times a year to start, and work as CFO, at the South Texas Educational Technology Charter School with one of his best friends, Alim. They also grew it into 5 campuses now known as Horizon Montessori. Besides Lott, Possum thought the sun rose and set in the valley. He always said that’s where your soul goes when you die, but Paula hoped not. He brought many loads of grapefruit and oranges back, which made his wife roll her eyes constantly amidst gallons of freshly squeezed juice.
When not working, he spent countless hours growing native Texas wildflowers, collecting seeds, harvesting butterflies and being a part of the East Texas Native Plant Society, where he was known as “Mr. Butterfly.”
He absolutely adored his grandchildren and spent as much time as he could taking them to Whataburger for breakfast and always making their favorite treats at home. He thought he was the funniest joke teller, which made it all the more hilarious. He enjoyed talking TCU football and razzing his Longhorn siblings. He loved Hayes family gatherings with his siblings and their families (even though he never failed to fall asleep in the middle), always emphasizing the importance of family connection to Heather and Paul. He also became a surrogate father and grandfather to many in his life who adored him. He absolutely adored his heelers Lightening, Sam and Riley. And of course…his beloved Dr. Pepper, which he called his “medicine.”
Possum will be missed terribly, but we know in the blink of an eye, we will see him again in his gloriously healed form. Well done, good and faithful servant, well done. And as he closed every holiday prayer…Go Frogs!
James is preceded in death by his father Marshall A Hayes Jr, mother Ermine Lucile Dunagan, brother Marshall A. Hayes II “Chick”, brother-in-law John Scanlon, sister-in-law Maryann Hayes, sister-in-law Suann Hayes, niece Cindy Conrado.
Survivors include: wife Paula, daughter Heather Terry, son-in-law Trevor Terry, son Paul Hayes, grandchildren James Terry, Kaylee Hayes, Kamryn Hayes, Mason Hayes, Jonah Terry and Jakob Terry, sister Sharon Scanlon, brother Lowell Hayes, brother Timothy Hayes, sister Janice Norris, many nephews, nieces, cousins, a loving church family and many friends who are like family.
In lieu of flowers, because none of us had his gift of keeping them green, the family requests donations given to his beloved church, Elmira Chapel, where Possum served as an Elder and Session member.
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