Louise (Lamar) Haywood

Due to the COVID Pandemic, the family will not have a formal funeral service.

Louise Lamar Haywood was born in Talbotton, GA, the third of seven children to James and Henrietta Mitchell Lamar. Her parents James (1971) and Henrietta (2009), and four of her siblings Leonard, James Jr., Hazel, and Tom all preceded her in death. Two siblings, Lucile and Robert (Chestine), survive her.

Louise accepted Christ and joined Shady Grove Baptist Church in 1949 (at age 9). She was baptized with a small group of other members at Slade’s Pond in Talbotton.

Louise graduated from Ruth Carter High School in 1958. She was ranked third in her graduating class. In fall 1958, with her family's prayers, she boarded a Trailways bus to Savannah, GA, with a footlocker containing her possessions and a Pickett & Hatcher student loan. She was the first in her immediate family to attend college. (Three other siblings would also wind their way to Savannah for college.) She drank her college experience deeply. She was a resident advisor for three years, a Boar's Head English Society member, and recognized in Who's Who during her sophomore and junior years. She received a scholarship from the State of Georgia her senior year. In the spring of 1960, she pledged the Delta Nu Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. She graduated in 1962 with a B.S. degree in English. Years later (1991), she earned a master's degree in middle grades education from Valdosta State College.

Louise was an accomplished educator. After graduating from college in 1962, she moved to Folkston, GA to teach high school English at the racially segregated Bethune Elementary and High School. When the school system became integrated, she moved to Charlton County High School. Louise later moved to the middle grades to teach English and then became the middle grades reading specialist. She received Charlton County's Teacher of the Year award for the 1992-93 school term. During her tenure, she chaired the middle grades department. Overall, she taught school for 37 years in the Charlton County School system. She retired in 1999 due to a brain aneurysm.

Louise celebrated 53 years of marriage. On August 3, 1963, she married Jonathan Haywood at her parents' home in Talbotton, GA. The two met at Savannah State College when Jonathan enrolled there in January 1959 after serving four years in the U.S. Navy. After graduation, Jonathan convinced her to move to his hometown, Folkston, GA, to begin her teaching career. They were married for 53 years. From their union, they had one son, Maurice. Jonathan passed away in June 2017.

After moving to Folkston to begin teaching, she joined Mt. Carmel Missionary Baptist Church. She served diligently and faithfully for many years. Her tasks over the years included: Sunday School teacher; Sunday School Secretary; Superintendent of the Sunday School; and Church Secretary for many years. She became a Deaconess in 1977 when her husband, Jonathan, was ordained as a Deacon. During this time, she served as secretary of the Deaconess Board. Over the years, she received many plaques and awards recognizing her service.

Aside from her work and church-related commitments, she served as Treasurer of the Charlton County Library Board for several years.

She kept her residence in Folkston after her husband’s passing. However, she spent most of her time with her son and daughter-in-law in Baltimore, MD, along with extended stays visiting with family and loved ones. Her niece, Elvira S. Williams, made sure that her mail and medications were forwarded along and helped maintain her residence. In those last years, she became an active user of her cell phone, something she cared very little about before her husband passed away. She always closed her phone conversations in a word of prayer by simply saying, “let me pray with you.”

Louise passed away on Sunday, February 21, 2021, of congestive heart failure after a brief but very difficult hospital stay. She is survived by her son, Maurice (Lisa), and grandchildren Sydney Christina and Jonathan William; one sister, Lucile, one brother, Robert (Chestine); two sisters-in-law, Emma Jean Lamar and Mattie Lamar; and a host of nieces, nephews, friends, and loved ones.

In light of the global pandemic and out of an abundance of caution, no formal services will be held. Louise will be buried next to her husband at the Mt. Carmel Cemetery in Folkston, GA.

To honor her, the family plans to rename her husband’s scholarship fund to the “Jonathan & Louise Haywood Scholarship Fund.” If you would like to contribute, please send any donations to the following:

Jonathan & Louise Haywood Scholarship Fund: c/o Charlton County School System, Attn: Dr. Brent Tilley, Superintendent of Schools, 37 Touchdown Lane      Folkston, GA 31537.

Final and most sacred arrangements are entrusted to the professional care of Fluker Funeral Home, 985 Ossie Davis Parkway ,Waycross Georgia.

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