Doris Mae
Turner Hayes
Mrs. Doris Mae Turner Hayes, age 96, of 128 Prospect Street, Covington, Virginia passed away peacefully on Friday, November 10, 2023 at Chippenham Hospital, Richmond.
A native of Bath County, Virginia, Doris was born in the Nimrod Hall area on October 7, 1927 to the late Ernest Jackson Turner and Virginia Frances Luckett Turner. She attended elementary school in Bath County, before moving to Covington, where she became a graduate of Watson High School, class of 1944. At the age of 20, Doris received a Bachelor of Science degree in Secondary Education and Library Science/English from Virginia State College (now Virginia State University) in Petersburg, VA. She taught school in Northampton County, VA (across the Chesapeake Bay from Norfolk, VA), and also served as school librarian and guidance counselor for 17 years. She furthered her educational studies in Library Science/English at North Carolina Central College (now North Carolina Central University) in Durham, NC from 1950-52 and received a Master’s Degree in Library and Information Sciences from the University of Maryland, College Park, MD in 1976. Doris taught school in Bath County at Millboro Elementary/High School 1964-69, team teaching-English and Social Studies. Here, she organized a remedial reading program to serve “at risk” students. She moved to Fairfax County, VA in the fall of 1969, employed by the Fairfax County Public Library system from February 1970-78; serving as Reference Assistance in Central Library, Fairfax City and Children’s Librarian in the Patrick Henry Branch, Vienna, VA. She returned to Covington, VA in the fall of 1978, and began working for TAP (Total Action Against Poverty) in May, 1979. She served as a TAP Ex-offender Counselor, Alleghany County District Court under the Honorable Judge Duncan Byrd. She organized and supervised a work experience program for certified graduates of Jackson River Vocational School funded by CETA, a government grant to help those graduates receive training in local public service offices. She became Co-Manager of the Covington TAP office; organized a Literacy Volunteer group and taught Literacy and GED classes for out school adults and an alternative GED program for “at risk” students from the Covington High School. In 2003, she completed a four hour Professional Development Workshop in Best Practices in Administering the Test of Adult Basic Education at the Virginia Adult Learning Resource Center, Roanoke, VA. Doris was a devoted educator throughout her life, improving literacy, providing counseling, organizing scholarships, and inspiring her students, all with kindness and a sense of humor. She was a member various educational organization, and also Granbery United Methodist Church for 35 years. She retired to enjoy her home, and to take care of her husband, the late Robert Emory Hayes, but stayed interested in the education of our community’s students. She was also preceeded in death by her sister, Lolly Berry of Washington D.C. and cousin, James Turner, Jr.
She is survived by nieces and nephews, Richard Berry and wife Linette, Steven Berry, and Dorothy Leisure; cousin, Perlista Yvonne Henry, as well as a host of cousins and other family members; her guardian angel and adopted granddaughter, Helen Selleck and husband Charlie of Covington; and a dear friend, Mr. John Laflame.
A funeral service will be held on Wednesday, November 15, 2023 at 11:00 AM in Granbery United Methodist Church in Covington with Reverend Stephanie Clark, Diane Quarles and Pastor Pianapue TK Early officiating. Interment will follow in Mt. Zion Baptist Church Cemetery in Millboro, VA. The family will visit with friends on Tuesday evening from 5:00 PM until 7:00 PM at Nicely Funeral Home, Clifton Forge.
To send condolences to the family online, please visit www.nicelyfuneralhome.com
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