Mildred "Millie" Hayes

She was reared in New Braunfels, Texas and graduated from New Braunfels High School. She entered the Seton School of Nursing in Austin and graduated in 1950. She attended the Sacred Heart Dominican College in Houston and received the Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing in 1954. She received her Master’s Degree in Nursing from Texas Woman’s University College of Nursing in 1969. She was a member of the Sigma Theta Tau National Nursing Honor Society.

She worked as a registered nurse at the V.A. Hospital in Houston, Texas from 1950 to 1956. She was then employed by the St. Mary’s Infirmary in Galveston, Texas, becoming the first lay Director of Nursing of The Sisters of Charity of the Incarnate Word’s hospital chain.

In 1961, she became Director of Nursing at the Galveston County Memorial Hospital in Texas City, Texas. During this time, the hospital expanded from 90 to 350 beds.

In 1966, she became the Professional Assistant of the Texas Regional Heart, Cancer and Stroke program at Methodist Hospital in Houston, Texas.

She was a member of the faculty of Texas Woman’s University College of Nursing Faculty in Houston, Texas as an Assistant Professor and remained in that position until her marriage in 1974 to John J. Hayes, her husband for 42 years. She and her husband moved to Tampa, Florida in 1974 and she was employed as an Associate Professor in the newly created University of South Florida College of Nursing. In 1977, she returned to the Texas Woman’s University College of Nursing Faculty where she remained until 1980. At that time, she was employed by the Texas Lung Association / San Jacinto Area as Program Director where she remained until she retired in 1985. After her retirement and move to Marble Falls she continued to be active in various St. John Catholic Church ministries and community voluntary agencies.

During her nursing career, she was active in professional nursing organizations holding offices at the State and District levels. She also served on committees with The Texas Health Department, the Texas Hospital Association and various voluntary agencies.

She is survived by her seven step-children John and wife Maureen, Dan and Joe Hayes, Kathy Wagner, Janice Smith and husband David, Margaret and Nancy Hayes and seven step-grandchildren and seven step-great grandchildren.

The Holy Rosary will be prayed at the Sts. Cyril & Methodius Catholic Church in Shiner, Texas, at 9:30 am, prior to the Funeral Mass at 10:00 am, followed by interment in the Shiner Catholic Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the University of St. Thomas School of Nursing, Sister Mary Martina Casey Endowment Fund, 3800 Montrose Blvd., Houston, Texas 77006.

Online condolences may be made at: www.clementswilcoxfuneralhome.com