Patricia “Patti” Lewis Hayes
July 15, 1950-April 24, 2026
Patricia “Patti” Lewis Hayes died on April 24, 2026 in the comfort of her home and surrounded by her family after a multi-year struggle with leukemia and dementia. In spite of her health issues, Patti never lost her courage or her will to fight each day with all she had and she did so without complaint or self-pity. She was to the very end a gracious and considerate person who always thought of others and was forever kind, considerate and loving. She was a beloved wife, mother, grandmother (BeBe), and sister and loved her family with all her heart. She was born in Greenwood, Mississippi on July 15, 1950 to Alton B. Lewis, Sr. and Marion Huber Lewis and she was the middle child of six children. Patti’s mother, whom all the children loved and adored, became ill and died the summer after Patti graduated from high school. Patti was extremely close to all her siblings and had a fierce love and respect for each of them and was extremely proud of all their many accomplishments. While each settled in different locations around the country and the world, they stayed in touch and were always there for each other in good times and bad, no matter what the circumstances. A truly unbreakable bond. Each was blessed with an exceptional drive and intellect and each attended college on academic scholarships. Patti graduated from Greenwood High School and followed her sister Barbara to Mississippi College. It was there she almost immediately met Colvin Hayes who would become her husband. They started dating in the second half of their freshman year and married at the end of their sophomore year and then transferred to Florida State University in Tallahassee, Florida. As broke newlyweds, Patti dropped out of college to work full-time while Colvin finished his degree while working part-time. After he graduated, they reversed roles where he worked full-time so she could go back to school and work part-time. Patti graduated with a B.S. in Nursing and immediately went to work at Tallahassee Memorial Hospital where she was an operating room nurse. She continued there until Colvin was accepted into the Federal Bureau of Investigation and, upon completing his training in Quantico, Virginia, they were assigned to New Orleans, Louisiana. She transferred to Baptist Hospital and then to JoEllen Smith Hospital in New Orleans where she continued her work as a Surgical Nurse. It was in New Orleans that Colvin and Patti decided to start a family and, in 1980 they were blessed with the arrival of their first son but, unfortunately, he only lived a few days. This was a crushing loss but a second son was born the following year and Patti spent the rest of her life devoted to his well-being and loving him with all her heart. Colvin and Patti had started their own business in 1980 and for the remainder of her life she was dedicated to her family first and then to her business activities. Over the next 40 years, she was a tireless worker whose relentless effort was awe-inspiring to both clients and employees but she also found time to pursue competitive tennis and she made many friends on her tennis team and during competition through the years. Friends that she never forgot and never stopped loving. Patti was a woman of substance who always tried to lead a good life and always treated people with respect and kindness. She was a leader who was admired and respected and truly believed success was the result of honesty, good planning and then relentless hard work and effort. She was a leader who not only believed that but lived it and pity the person in business, life and tennis who thought she could not sustain that pace. Even in her last years and in failing health, she always spoke of the work she felt she needed to get done. She was an absolute wonderful wife, mother, sibling and friend. A person who had the highest values and could always be depended upon, no matter the circumstances. You could count on her and she would tell you the truth but never let you down. She tried her best every day and that is a legacy one can be very proud of. She will live forever in the memory of those who had the good fortune of knowing and loving her.
Patti was preceded in death by her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Alton B. Lewis, Sr.; her son, Bryant Lewis Hayes; her beloved oldest sister Barbara Lynn Bibighaus and her youngest sibling, Bryant Edward Lewis. She is survived by her husband of 56 years, Colvin Hayes of Auburn, Alabama; her son, Nicholas W. Hayes and wife, Danielle, also of Auburn; grandchildren Merritt, Harry and Colette (CoCo); Her brother-in-law, Dr. Alexander J. Bibighaus, III of Southaven, Mississippi; brother, Alton B. Lewis, Jr. (Terri) of Hammond, Louisiana.; sister Norma Lewis (Rick Hauck) of St. Louis, Missouri; sister Marcia Doyle of Brussels, Belgium; and brother-in-law Robert Hayes (Jane) of Tallahassee, Florida. She is also survived by nephews Scott Hayes, Alexander Bibighaus, IV, and Jordan Lewis as well as nieces Stephanie Bibighaus, Catherine Hayes Thompson, and Katherine Lewis Nalty. She is also survived by many dear friends and a special thanks to her primary caregiver, Maria Sanchez.
In lieu of flowers, please consider a contribution to the REACH Memory Care Program, Auburn United Methodist Church, P.O. Box 3135, Auburn, Alabama 36831-3135.