Sarah Sheffield Hales, 81, of Macon, passed away on Thursday, September 5, 2019. Funeral services will be held on Saturday, September 7, at 12:00 PM at New Elim Baptist Church, 4368 Hartley Bridge Rd., with the Reverend Johnny Baggett officiating. Burial will follow at 2:00 PM in the Bethel Primitive Baptist Church Cemetery, in Butler, Georgia. The family will have a time of visitation on Friday, September 6, at FairHaven Funeral Home from 6:00 PM until 8:00 PM.
Mrs. Hales was born in Eastman, Georgia, on November 1, 1937. She served as pastor of the Fickling Mill Church of God, from 1997 until 2015. Mrs. Hales loved her grandchildren, going to church, listening to gospel music, and fishing. She had a heart for helping others and always treated everyone as family, which gained her the affectionate nickname "Mama Hales."
Mrs. Hales was preceded in death by her husband, William Earl Hales; son, Rickey English; granddaughter, Brittney Bozeman; parents, John Warren Sheffield and Mary Elizabeth Massengale Sheffield; brothers, Warren Sheffield and Joe Selph; sister, Carol Knight; son-in-law's, Jimmy Knowles and Rickey Spivey; and sister-in-law, Betty Jean Sheffield.
Mrs. Hales is survived by her sons, Greg English (Annette), Mark Hales (Penny), and Mike Hales; daughters, Bunny Spivey and Samantha Knowles; several grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and great-great-grandchildren; brothers, Johnny Sheffield (Donnie) and Carl Selph (Betty); and several nieces and nephews.
Friends may sign the online registry at www.fairhavenmacon.com.
FairHaven Funeral Home and Cremation Services has charge of arrangements.