Fellow New Hanover County Commissioners remember Deb Hays

NEW HANOVER COUNTY, NC (WWAY) — Community members and local leaders are remembering New Hanover County Commissioner Deb Hays, who died suddenly over the weekend.

Hays had been serving as a New Hanover County Commissioner since December of 2020. She was also a realtor with Intracoastal Realty, and involved in numerous local, state, and national committees.

Fellow Commissioner Jonathan Barfield says he was shocked and saddened by the news of her death.

Barfield also worked with Hays outside of the Board of Commissioners, serving as president of the Cape Fear Realtors, the year after her in 2007.

“Outside of the work she’s done in county government, city planning board, and all these other committees that she served on, her legacy will always be  –you know, her family. I’m glad that she was with them when she passed, but she has left a really big footprint in our community, that’s going to take a while to fill,” said Jonathan Barfield, New Hanover County Commissioner.

The county says commissioner hays likely suffered from a massive heart attack, but there are no other details to share at this time.

The county flag on all New Hanover County buildings has been lowered, and will remain that way through the period of mourning and celebration of her life.