Avis Elizabeth Mitchell Hayes, age 78, of Picayune passed away Monday, June 8, 2009 at NorthShore Regional Medical Center. Funeral services will be held Thursday, June 11th at 11:00 a.m. at Goodyear Baptist Church with Bro. Gary Killen officiating, assisted by Bro. Arlis Grice. Visitation will be Wednesday, June 10th from 6-9 p.m. at Picayune Funeral Home. Burial will be at Memorial Gardens Cemetery. Avis, a native of Alabama, moved to Picayune thirty-seven years ago. She retired from Goodwill Industries after working as the store manager for twenty years. She was a member of Goodyear Baptist Church and involved in many church activities all her life. She became a Sunday School teacher at the age of fifteen; she taught BYPU classes and both children and adult Sunday School Classes. She was a Cub Scout den mother for many years when her children were young. Avis was a very loving person and was a caregiver to three special people. She will be long remembered as a loving wife, mother, sister, grandmother and great-grandmother. She is survived by her husband of fifty-six years, Emmett Hayes of Picayune ;two sons, Andy Hayes of Slidell, LA and Patrick Hayes of Newark, AR ;a daughter, Sharron Hayes Harlan of Chicago, IL ;two sisters, Joyce Black of Tuscaloosa, AL and Pamela Smitherman of Brent, AL ;four grandchildren, James Harlan Rob Harlan ,Stephanie Hayes and Lauren Hayes ;four great-grandchildren, Taylor Harlan James & Julia Harlan Elyse Harlan and numerous friends and relatives. She is preceded in death by her parents, Lofton L. Mitchell and Elma Holladay Mitchell.