Roger Lee Hayes (Class 0f 1964) Obituary

 

 

Roger Lee Hayes 1945 ~ 2016 Biloxi Roger Lee Hayes, age 70, of Biloxi, Mississippi, passed away on February 19, 2016, after a courageous battle against cancer. He was born in Del Rio, Texas, on December 26, 1945, to Newell Bates Hayes and Lillian Elizabeth Rogers Williams.

Roger graduated from Del Rio High School, Class of 1964 and received a Bachelor of Science degree in Economics from the University of Southern Mississippi. He was a life member of Delta Sigma Pi, business fraternity.

He was self-employed and owner of Roger L. Hayes Driving Instruction, which began in 1973. He loved teaching people to drive and taught many students on the Mississippi Gulf Coast. He also served as a volunteer instructor for the AARP Driving Class. In the article, Driver's Ed for Grownups, in the August 2005 edition of AARP magazine, the writer described Roger as, "a cheery and bespectacled fifty-something who would win anyone's Richard Dreyfuss-look-alike - contest."

Roger was a member of St. Mark's Episcopal Church since 1982, and held many leadership positions including Junior and Senior Warden, Sunday school superintendent and lay reader. He was a graduate and mentor of the church's EFM program and was a member of the Biloxi Lions Club and Mississippi Beach Cruisers. The highlight of his year was participating in "Cruisin' the Coast."

He was predeceased by his parents and brother, William Hugh Hayes.

He is survived by his wife of 42 years, Diane Carter Hayes; his son, Roger Newell Hayes (Susanne) and his precious grandchildren, Elijah William Hayes and Grace Elisabeth Hayes of Biloxi, MS; special nieces, Elizabeth and Mary Carter of Covington, LA, and Claire, Emily, and Sandi Carter of Pass Christian, MS, JoAnna Carter Lee and his nephew, William Carter of New Orleans, LA; his cousins, Lou Lane, Kenneth Hayes, Chris Hayes, Linda Faught, Vicki Woods, all of Texas, and Tommy Hayes, of California.

The funeral service will be held on Saturday, February 27, 2016, at St. Mark's Episcopal Church, 11322 West Taylor Road in Gulfport, MS. A visitation will be held from 10: 00 to 11:30 a.m. in the church's Parish Hall, with the service following in the sanctuary. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be given to St. Mark's Episcopal Church in his memory.