Mrs. Evelyn Arnold Hayes, age 86, of Rocky Face, Georgia, departed this life Tuesday, April 11, 2017 at Hamilton Medical Center surrounded by her loving family. Evelyn was born March 22, 1931 in Catoosa County, GA, a daughter of the late Jeff and Belle Stewart Arnold. She was also preceded in death by her husband, Joel Duene Hayes, son; Joel Dolan Hayes, brothers; Kenneth, Lewis, and Paul Arnold, sisters and brothers in law; Edna and Guy Griffin, Marie and Smitty Smith, Mildred Bennett, special nephews; Kelly Griffin, Gary Bailey, great nephew; Jeff Griffin, former son in law Thomas Pullen.

Evelyn graduated from Westside High School, Reinhardt College and North Georgia College in Dahlonega. While at Westside and Reinhardt she played basketball and she was chosen Miss Reinhardt. She taught 2nd grade at Westside Elementary for 34 years. She loved going to garage sales. She always mapped out her route and could tell you where any street was at in Whitfield County. She was a great artist and florist. For over 30 years her and her husband Joel did craft shows all around the area, with the main one being the Apple festival in Ellijay. She took an active role in helping raise all her children, grandchildren, great grandchildren and great great grandchild. She was always at the softball field and basketball games cheering on her family. She was their biggest fan. She traveled all over for all-star tournaments and College World Series Softball Games.

Evelyn is survived by daughters and son in law; Felicia "Joelyn" and John Koerner of Rocky Face, Alethea Brown of Rocky Face, Granddaughters and spouses; Danielle Baldridge, Jodi and Orville Stuckey, Brandi and Gary Robertson, Wimberly Owens, great grandchildren; Jordan, Shea, and Camron Baldridge, Nick and Kenley Woods, Kayden and Wyatt Stuckey, Reid and Jessica Robertson, Dakota, J.T. , and Chase Owens. She is also survived by a great great grandson Gabriel Morrison, former son in law; Sam Brown, former grandson in law Jerry Baldridge Jr. and several nieces and nephews. Special friends; her fellow teachers, all her boys and girls she taught over the years, drivers of AmTran, all her friends at the Dialysis Clinic.

Services to celebrate the life of Mrs. Evelyn Arnold Hayes will be held on Friday April 14, 2017 at Ponders Melrose Chapel at 3:00 pm with Reverend Ronald Guffey officiating. She will be laid to rest next to her beloved husband at Dunagan Cemetery with the drivers of AmTran serving as pall bearers. The family will receive friends at the funeral home on April 13, 2017, Thursday evening from 5:00 pm to 9:00 pm.

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