Haywood Gaines Sr. was born October 27, 1943 in Pender County, North Carolina. He was the second child and first son of the late Willie Gaines Sr. and Alice Virginia Lamb Gaines of Sumter. Haywood and his former wife, Gladys Linton of Sumter was the parents of three children, Haywood Gaines, Jr. (deceased), Eric Gaines and Alice V. Gaines. Haywood accepted Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior in a revival meeting at an early age and shortly after joined Mt. Zion Missionary Baptist Church. Haywood attended Lincoln High School in Sumter and Voorhees Technical College, a career trade center in Denmark, where he studied Brick Masonry. After relocating to New Jersey, Haywood met Hazel Sneed who became his “significant other” and the love of his life. They were together for 34 years and she was by his side when he passed peacefully at their home on Monday, April 11, 2022. Haywood worked at Oxy Chemical in Jersey City and the North Plainfield Board of Education in North Plainfield, New Jersey where he retired in 2010. Haywood “biker brothers’ was one of the joys of his life. He and his fellow motorcycle enthusiasts spent many years traveling from state to state on their impressive bikes, making regular trips to bike shows from Maine to Florida and many other places. He was an avid biker who enjoyed riding and restoring bikes. He cherished his time hanging out with friends and family. Preceding him in death was his parents, Willie and Alice Gaines; son, Haywood Gaines, Jr. and brother Willie Gaines, Jr. He is survived by his close companion and partner, Hazel Sneed; two children, Eric Gaines of Somerset, N. J., Alice Gaines of Millerville, Maryland; two sisters, Olivette Moore of Sumter, A. D. Moore of Columbia; one brother, Edward Gaines of Ontario, California; two aunts, several nieces and nephews, grandchildren and host of other relatives and friends. In accordance with the COVID-19 guidelines, the family is requesting no visitation at the home. Funeral services will be held 1:00 p. m., Wednesday, April 20, 2022 in the John Wesley Williams, Sr. Memorial Chapel, Williams Funeral Home, Inc., 821 North Main Street, Sumter, with the Rev. Dr. James Blassingame, officiating. The procession will leave the home at 12:20 p. m. Burial will be in the Hillside Memorial Park, 2561 Cain’s Mill Road, Sumter.
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