Mary Lou Lewis Hays, of Cullman, Alabama, was welcomed into heaven on October 30, 2024, at the age of 96. Ms. Hays was born in Cullman County, Alabama, on April 8, 1928, to the late John Morgan and Lessie Bell Brown Lewis.
After graduating Holly Pond High School in 1947, Ms. Hays wed Clevie Hays the same year. Ms. Hays was employed by Oneida Mills as a seamstress and she also cared for her home and children, Loretta, and Wayne, as a loving wife and mother. Mary was a longtime member of New Hope #2 Baptist Church and was a charter member of the Nimble Thimble quilter’s guild. She attended many quilt guilds over the years and her hard work provided many Hope quilts for fallen soldiers. Ms. Hays enjoyed crafting and collecting. She was a dedicated pen pal for many years, and she enjoyed traveling with the Commission on Aging to various locations across the nation. Mary was a loving wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, and great-great-grandmother and she will be missed by her family as well as those who knew her.
Ms. Hays is preceded in death by her parents; husband of 60 years, Clevie Hays; daughter-in-law, Jeanie Hays; brothers, Rayford Lewis, Max Lewis; and sister, Iva Nell McGriff.
Those surviving Ms. Hays includes her children, Loretta Hays, and Wayne Hays; grandchildren, Jeremy Hays (Kelly), Ryan Hays (Meredith), Cory Goodlett (Olivia); great-grandchildren, Mason Hays, Cidney Hays, Aiden Hays, Maci Hays, Gatlin Goodlett, Collins Goodlett, Tristan Ziannis; and great-great-grandchild, Parker Russell.
Friends are invited to join the family on Saturday, November 2, 2024, from 6 p.m. until 8 p.m. for a time of visitation. A visitation will be held in the Holly Pond Funeral Home Chapel. A funeral service for Ms. Hays will be held on Sunday, November 3, 2024, at 2 p.m., at New Hope #2 Baptist Church, with Bro. Dink Lambert officiating. Burial will follow services in the adjoining cemetery where Jeremy Hays, Ryan Hays, Cory Goodlett, Mason Hays, Aiden Hays, and Hunter Farr will serve as pallbearers.
The Hays family would like to express their gratitude to Meredith Hays for her love and care for Ms. Hays in her final days, and to the staff of Cullman Regional Hospice as well.
Holly Pond Funeral Home is honored to serve the Hays family.
