Heaven has a feisty new angel today. Melba Jean Hayes of Houston, Texas was called to lead the pack on April 13, 2019. Adoring family surrounded her bed as she drifted peacefully away at home. An indomitable, lovable character, there will never be another “Jean”.
Melba was born in a small country house on January 22, 1931 in Center Point, Louisiana, the first child of Hudie D. and Myrtie McNeal. She often played alone, with dolls on the porch and chickens in the yard. Country life would not be her boundary for long. In junior high, she moved with her family to Shreveport where friendships and beauty contests became her ambitions. She won Miss Southern Maid Donuts in high school along with numerous swimsuit competitions. After attending three semesters of college at Northwestern in Natchitoches, Louisiana, New York came calling. Melba landed modeling jobs in several department stores in Manhattan where life was exciting and the world was her oyster; however, her greatest adventure was back at home. Upon returning to Shreveport, she met the man of her dreams on a blind date and married him five months later. What started as a whirlwind romance with IB Hayes turned into a lifelong love story, lasting nearly 70 years. He preceded her in death a mere 17 days before she drew her last breath. He reached for her hand, and she took it. He did not have to wait for long.
Melba Hayes worked as an executive secretary for Exxon for more than 25 years. She was a leader who cared not what others believed about her but how strongly others believed, in whatever that might be. Her convictions rarely swayed; her opinions never stayed silent. She remained bright through many dense fogs, smiling through them all. Melba looked each negative in her life squarely in the eye and killed it dead. She was a warrior who protected her daughters like a mother bear, remaining loyal to the end. She gave them courage, confidence, strength, and love. They, in turn, revere her.
What remains of Melba Jean Hayes is a family and friends who will keep her memory alive for generations to come. These include her twin daughters Kandy Hayes Steen and Karen Hayes Chapman with their husbands, Gary and Bobby; granddaughters Jennifer McLoughlin, Natalie Ippolito, Candice McNair, Jacquelyn Ruesink, and Jessica Uriarti with their husbands Shawn, Tony, Zach, and Jake; nine great grandchildren; her sister Pauline McNeal Levine, brothers Harry and Stephen Croxson and numerous nieces and nephews. A graveside service will be held at noon on Thursday, April 18 , 2019 in the cemetery behind the Zion Baptist Church in Fairview Alpha, Louisiana.
Melba Hayes was fierce, sweet, clever, and accepting. She loved to laugh. She enjoyed having fun and poking fun. Mostly, she loved her family, her friends and her God. No. There will never be another one like Jean. Ever.
Zion Cemetery - Fairview Alpha, LA
Heaven has a feisty new angel today. Melba Jean Hayes of Houston, Texas was called to lead the pack on April 13, 2019. Adoring family surrounded her bed as she drifted peacefully away at home. An indomitable, lovable character, there will never be another “Jean”.
Melba was born in a small country house on January 22, 1931 in Center Point, Louisiana, the first child of Hudie D. and Myrtie McNeal. She often played alone, with dolls on the porch and chickens in the yard. Country life would not be her boundary for long. In junior high, she moved with her family to Shreveport where friendships and beauty contests became her ambitions. She won Miss Southern Maid Donuts in high school along with numerous swimsuit competitions. After attending three semesters of college at Northwestern in Natchitoches, Louisiana, New York came calling. Melba landed modeling jobs in several department stores in Manhattan where life was exciting and the world was her oyster; however, her greatest adventure was back at home. Upon returning to Shreveport, she met the man of her dreams on a blind date and married him five months later. What started as a whirlwind romance with IB Hayes turned into a lifelong love story, lasting nearly 70 years. He preceded her in death a mere 17 days before she drew her last breath. He reached for her hand, and she took it. He did not have to wait for long.
Melba Hayes worked as an executive secretary for Exxon for more than 25 years. She was a leader who cared not what others believed about her but how strongly others believed, in whatever that might be. Her convictions rarely swayed; her opinions never stayed silent. She remained bright through many dense fogs, smiling through them all. Melba looked each negative in her life squarely in the eye and killed it dead. She was a warrior who protected her daughters like a mother bear, remaining loyal to the end. She gave them courage, confidence, strength, and love. They, in turn, revere her.
What remains of Melba Jean Hayes is a family and friends who will keep her memory alive for generations to come. These include her twin daughters Kandy Hayes Steen and Karen Hayes Chapman with their husbands, Gary and Bobby; granddaughters Jennifer McLoughlin, Natalie Ippolito, Candice McNair, Jacquelyn Ruesink, and Jessica Uriarti with their husbands Shawn, Tony, Zach, and Jake; nine great grandchildren; her sister Pauline McNeal Levine, brothers Harry and Stephen Croxson and numerous nieces and nephews. A graveside service will be held at noon on Thursday, April 18 , 2019 in the cemetery behind the Zion Baptist Church in Fairview Alpha, Louisiana.
Melba Hayes was fierce, sweet, clever, and accepting. She loved to laugh. She enjoyed having fun and poking fun. Mostly, she loved her family, her friends and her God. No. There will never be another one like Jean. Ever.
We were honored to get to call Jean Jean a member of our family for the last couple of years. What a beautiful person who will be missed greatly and remembered fondly. Our prayers our with all of you.
Please accept my sincerest condolences for your loss. Know that just as you long to have Melba with you again, God also longs for her to live again. (Job 14:15) God promises that through his son Christ Jesus those whom we've lost in death will be resurrected and have the opportunity to live forever here on a paradise Earth. Hopefully these promises from the Bible give you comfort in your grief. (Psalms 37:29; Isaiah 33:24; 1Corinthians 15:56, 57; 2 Corinthians 1:3,4)
To the family,
My sincere condolences in the passing of Melba. So true are the words of Psalms 90:10, "The span of our life is 70 years, or 80 if one is especially strong. But they are filled with trouble and sorrow; they quickly pass by, and away we fly."
On behalf of my entire family, I want to thank you and your staff for your excellent and caring service.
Thank you for all you did to make our mother's funeral special, dignified, and easy for us.
I just can't express to you enough how much we appreciated the kindness and professionalism my family experienced with you and your staff.
Thank you for treating my beloved mother with honor and respect all throughout the process.
Our family will be forever grateful to the owner and staff at Beresford Funeral Services for the excellent services they provided to our family upon the death of our loved one. Everything went smoothly. The planning was easy with everything needed for the funeral provided on sight at reasonable prices with no pressure to spend more than planned. They were flexible with our personal plans, very kind, and considerate from beginning to end. We would definitely recommend Beresford Funeral Services to anyone in need of funeral services.
Guest Book
Sign Guestbook