Dana Gibson Hayes, 88, of Calallen, Texas, passed away on April 18, 2025. She was born during a snowstorm near Groesbeck, Texas on January 5, 1937, to Opal and Desmond Gibson. As a girl, she grew up knowing she wanted her life to be rich with a husband, children, family, a home, a church, and education.
She graduated from Bloomington High School, Texas A & I in Kingsville, where she earned a Bachelor’s degree, and then earned a Master’s degree from Southwest Texas State University. On November 24, 1955, she married her soulmate, Clifford White Hayes.
While raising and caring for her six children, she taught countless students and new teachers in San Antonio, Dallas, and Corpus Christi. She served as an administrator and capped her decades of service in education as a teacher mentor for Tuloso-Midway ISD.
In addition to her lifelong passion for education, from the age of six she spent a lifetime sharing her faith and musical talents as a pianist and organist. She was a prolific writer capturing extraordinary ordinary struggles, victories, and the beauty of everyday life.
Dana/MeMe fiercely loved her six children, eighteen grandchildren, and eight great-grandchildren—and was fiercely loved in return.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Opal and Desmond Gibson; her sister, Mary Menely; her son, Bryan Clifford Hayes; and, most recently, her beloved husband, Clifford White Hayes.
Dana is survived by her sister, Sandra Wynn (Gerald); her children Bryn Jones (Tamlyn), Jeffry Hayes (Teri), Scott Hayes (Sherri), Kyna Batterson (Danny), and Clayton Hayes (Johnna); her grandchildren Alyssa Jones Wennerlind (Matthew), Crystah Hayes Draper (J.R.), Jacob Hayes (Jessica), Kaitlyn Hayes Driver (Cody), Brooke Jones, Corinne Jones Yelle (Anthony), Laurel Hayes, Hayes Batterson, Asa Hayes, Taylor Hayes O’Dell (Gabe), Jordan Hayes Pendergrass (Dustin), Thomas Batterson, Chloe Hayes, Saige Hayes, Charles Batterson, Cayley Hayes, Bradley Batterson, and Alexandra Hayes; and eight great-grandchildren Maycie Draper, Morgan Draper, Kyla Driver, Koen Driver, Paul O’Dell, Graham O’Dell, Emersyn Hayes, and Tatum Pendergrass.
A Funeral Service will be held at 11:00 AM, Thursday, April 24, 2025, at Crescent Valley Baptist Church with burial to immediately follow at Crescent Valley Cemetery located at 6679 SH 185, Victoria, Texas 77905.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Odem FUMC in Odem, Texas
