Jamie Lynne Hayes

Where does one begin to tell the story of Jamie?

Jamie was beautiful and her soul was kind and generous. She is her mom’s magnus opus, her sons’ guiding light. She is now the sun shimmering across the water, a spectacular shooting star, the lingering fragrance of a lilac, the magic in a moment. Jamie was a flash of lightning, the long rumble of thunder. Jamie was not one grandiose thing, but a million perfect little things. We will not remember Jamie for inventing something spectacular to change the entire world. We will remember Jamie, because knowing her changed something wonderous in us, and losing her is a stunning blow. A blow that changed our world. 

Jamie suffered a devastating hemorrhagic stroke on June 30, 2024. From the first moment, huge odds were stacked against her, and week after week she was besieged with one setback after another. She was a warrior, and she fought long and hard, not for herself, but for those of us left behind. She sensed we needed time to acclimate to a world without her. Jamie's final gift to us was a bit more time, an act of kindness that is exquisitely Jamie.

Early on the morning of November 21, with her mom by her side, Jamie left this earthly world. Her spirit is free now, and she will live on through us. Her spirit has touched us and will guide us, helping us navigate the world without her.

We will forever miss Jamie’s bright smile, the twinkle in her eye, her quick wit, and her outrageous one-of-a-kind sense of humor. We miss the kindness of Jamie’s heart and the gentleness of her spirit. We miss her keen mind, her wacky sense of adventure, and her crazy fear of spiders. We miss hearing Jamie’s laugh ring out like church bells and watching her smile light up a room.

Jamie’s life is a love story. She loved hard, with great intensity, reckless, and fearless. If Jamie loved you, you knew it.

More than anything, Jamie loved her boys. They are the greatest joy of her life, and she has much to be proud of:  Three sons that are becoming fine young men. She loved spending one-on-one time with each of her sons, Isaac, Jaxon, and Brady. She loved to talk with them, listen to them, share music, play, and be silly with them. She felt extraordinary pride in their accomplishments. Jamie was as protective as a mother bear, and she would do anything to make sure her boys were safe. Her love for them was unconditional, and she was never afraid to tell them how much she loved them. Jamie left them with a huge reservoir of her love, enough to sustain them for the rest of their lives. Nicely done, Jamie.

Jamie became a grandma on May 1, 2024, and she bragged about being a grandma for eight months before. She loved baby Calah from the moment she learned of her. Jamie had precious little time to spend with Calah, but Jamie’s love for her is eternal. 

Jamie loved her momma. Jamie and her mom took many wonderful trips, courtesy of Jamie’s knack for finding the coolest places on Airbnb. Every adventure with Jamie was special, and her mom has memories to treasure for a lifetime. If you have ever wondered if you can live for three or four days eating nothing but cookies, you can.

Jamie loved her many friends, old and new. Know that Jamie loved each of you and she would have done anything for you. Thank you all for your prayers, warm thoughts, encouraging words, and your visits to Jamie during her trials and tribulations. You are priceless.

Jamie loved her dog Memphis, and he loved her. Memphis is a gentle giant, a mix of Mastiff and Greyhound. Jamie and Memphis spent hours hanging out together. Jamie talked to Memphis like he was her roommate, and he went everywhere with her. Memphis never complained, but he never spoke up, so who’s to know what he thought. My guess is, he loved it. We are all deeply grateful to Casey who picked Memphis up and cared for him when Jamie could not. I think Memphis may have found a forever home with Casey.

Jamie loved music. Oh, how she loved her music. Her playlist is diverse and schizophrenic (much like all of ours). A song could move Jamie to tears. If Jamie found a new song to love, she had to share it. If Jamie shared a song with you, you had better listen to it, because there was bound to be a quiz. Jamie cranked up the tunes and sang along to the soundtrack of her life. She considered a portable speaker essential for any outing.

Jamie is a Pisces, so it makes sense that she loved being on, in, or near the water. Jamie loved big sunglasses and big floaties--giant swans, grand peacocks, and a very regal Pegasus. Jamie spent many hours with her mom floating on the Snake River, a portable speaker played music from the shore, birds flew overhead, and Herons pranced along the shore. The sun browned their skin and revitalized their souls. Jamie and her mom had the opportunity for just one float this summer, but it was a three-day marathon float, and it was epic.

Jamie had lofty ideas, big dreams, high hopes, and giant hobo bags to carry them in. When she showed up (usually late), she always had multiple bags and at least one backpack. Her ambitions were often bigger than time allowed, and her plans to accomplish certain tasks would fall away as she drew you into an afternoon of giggling at Instagram filters or running down a rabbit hole, beginning with Etsy or Airbnb.

Jamie was always the champion for the underdog. Her heart was full of compassion and empathy for others, family, strangers, friends, and animals. Jamie was quick to extend a helping hand, a shoulder to cry on, a listening ear, or gentle words of encouragement. Her soul was gentle and there was a spot in it for all.

Jamie was whip smart and quick witted. A dreamer, a hoper, a wisher. She dreamed of having a schoolie of her own. She hoped to own a farm where she could have all the animals she wanted. She wished for a unicorn or to be a mermaid. Jamie, as her beloved Papo once said, “dreams out loud” and she shared her dreams with such enthusiasm, she might convince you that she actually could get a unicorn. 

Jamie was glitter and boho, sunny days and thunderstorms, insanely high wedge shoes and flip flops. She was fairies and skeletons, leather and lace, Patron and Bud Light, short-shorts and warm coats.  She was both the calm and the storm, the sun and the moon, the ocean and the shore. She was an adventure and a nap on the couch. She was simple and complex. Jamie was perfectly unperfect, and to have known her was to love her. She was beautiful.

Time with Jamie was memorable, filled with fun and full of silly antics, giggles, belly laughs, and adventures, big and small. Wise cracks and spot-on sarcasm. And crying. She was a shedder of tears, tears spilled over trivial things and massive things, happy things and sad things, something, and nothing. It didn’t take much to move Jamie to tears, because she felt joy and sorrow with great intensity. 

When Jamie left her earthly body, her exquisite spirit floated up to join her dad, Miles Rogers; her beloved “Papo,” Keith Bothwell; her “Mamo,” Ann Bothwell, her grandpa and grandma, Rue and Barb Rogers; and other grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins.

Jamie had to leave her sons—Isaac, Jaxon, and Brady; her precious granddaughter Calah; her mom and Papa, Connie and Clark Barnett; two brothers, Ryan and Aaron Barnett; as well as her sisters-in-law, Jenny Barnett and Sara Kessler; niece Piper, and nephews Charlie and Lucas; many aunts, uncles, cousins; a host of friends; and her beloved dog Memphis behind. 

Please join us in celebrating Jamie’s beautiful life from 2:00 to 4:00 pm, Thursday, December 5, 2024, at Waters Edge Event Center, 287 E. Shore Drive, Eagle, ID. There will be light snacks and soft beverages. Jamie would want all of you to dress casually.