Jay Grimes

Mr. Jay Grimes, age 59, of Powder Springs, Georgia, passed away on May 7th, 2025, following a fearless and inspirational battle with cancer over the last five years. Mr. Grimes is survived by his loving wife, Mrs. Misty Hayes, his father; J.C. Grimes (Jimmye) and his mother; Lee Dell Grimes, his sister Suzy Buehrle (Jeff), his nieces; Belle Buehrle and Olivia Matthews, and nephew Corbin Critz. Many other friends and family also survive. Jay was born in Ft Payne and raised in Scottsboro, Alabama, before moving to attend Auburn University, as his father did before him. Auburn football remained a love and priority through the rest of his life. Jay was the kind of person you never forgot - mostly because he wouldn't let you. His brand of comic relief included razor-sharp humor and wit, honed over the decades. He always knew how to lighten the mood and usually did it at the exact wrong moment. He had a laugh that could fill a room, a heart bigger than life (though you'd never hear that from him), and a willingness to do anything for those he loved- whether that meant giving you brutally honest advice, or showing up to tell you the latest joke he heard. His life showed, and friends knew that he was a man of integrity and a truly loyal and trustworthy friend. Jay was a 1989 graduate of Auburn University. (War Eagle!) After graduating, he went on to manage multiple restaurants throughout Georgia, which led him to meet and marry Misty, the love of his life. They made a beautiful life and home in Powder Springs, where Jay’s love of gardening and ability to build anything had a place to shine in a backyard that has to be experienced to appreciate. When the years of restaurant management were behind him, he went on to own a successful landscaping business before becoming a mechanic with the IUEC, International Union of Elevator Contructors. Jay was most recently with Phoenix Elevator Service, where he worked in the modernization department and was considered a devoted and loyal employee and friend to everyone there. He touched people’s lives in each of these roles and in his personal life that will never forget what a fun, real, great guy he was and miss him every day. A celebration of Jay’s life will be held on Saturday, May 31st from 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM. Please be comfortable and come as you are for visitation. If anyone would like to share a favorite memory of Jay, there will be an opportunity to give everyone a good laugh.

Jay Grimes

December 4, 1965 - May 7, 2025