James Thomas Haynes

James Thomas Haynes, affectionately known as Jimmy to family and friends, of Princeton, West Virginia, passed away on Saturday, July 11, 2026, at Princeton Community Hospital following a brief illness. He was 66 years old. 

Born on September 2, 1959, in Welch, West Virginia, to the late George and Louise Haynes, Jimmy grew up in Welch where he attended Welch Elementary School, Welch High School, and studied machine shop at the McDowell Vocational Technical Center. 

Jimmy started his career at Industrial Bearings in Welch in the machine shop to help him with his hobbies of motorcycles. He spent most of his life as a dedicated truck driver, a profession he truly loved and continued driving until his retirement in 2020. As a truck driver, he had a US Mail route between West Virginia and North Carolina. He also worked on strip mines, hauling asphalt and gravel, where he was known to many as “Mailman.” He was a NASCAR enthusiast with the truck races being his favorite and had a love for classic cars. Jimmy was a T-shirt and blue jeans type of guy who was known for his warm smile. He never met a stranger, always had a story to tell, and was remembered as a very giving person and a loyal friend. He was always helping someone — whether it was friends, strangers, or neighbors — and never expected anything in return. 

Jimmy was preceded in death by his daughter, Shannon Marie Collette.

He is survived by his wife, Connie Jean of Princeton; stepsons Ben Brady and his fiancee Rikki Huffman and their daughter Charli of Princeton and Devon Brady and daughter Piper of Beckley; his sister, Belinda and brother-in-law, David Burks of Lancaster, South Carolina; granddaughters Chandel and Guinevere of Lancaster, Pennsylvania, and Brianna Walls of Madison, Alabama; step-grandchildren Rebecca, Katie, MacKenzie, and Joshua Morgan, all of Princeton. 

Jimmy is also survived by a host of nieces and nephews, Jennifer Bristoll of Burlington NCHeather Burks or her son Justin Dove, her daughter Brittany Burks and her children Braelynn and Brooklynn Farley all of Lancaster SC, along with many other extended family members and friends, including Tina Hebb of Princeton, the mother to his stepsons.

A celebration of Jimmy’s life will be held on Saturday, August 15, 2026, with the family gathering at 1:00 p.m. and the memorial at 2:00 p.m. at Cravens & Shires Funeral Home in Bluewell, West Virginia. His aunt, Susan Harrison, will conduct the service. In accordance with Jimmy’s wishes, he was cremated and there will be no graveside service. 

Jimmy’s generous spirit, quick smile, and love for the road will be deeply missed by all who knew him. He lived his life with a pure heart, free of hate, and loved everyone he met just as they were. His gentle nature, boundless kindness, and generous spirit touched everyone who knew him, leaving a legacy of pure love that will live on in our hearts forever.