Mattie Lorene Moody Hayes was recently honored.
Mattie Lorene Moody was born on August 31, 1928 to Aaron J. Moody and Mattie Lee Butler in rural Dillon County, South Carolina just prior to the Great Depression. Her father was a sharecropper and with his wife Mattie also had three sons. She and her three brothers grew up with strong family values in the Bermuda Community and attended Bermuda Baptist Church where she met her future husband Paul Patrick Hayes. She was devoted to her husband for six-seven years before his passing six years ago.
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Life was not easy during the depression but there was always enough food to go around. She desired to attend Winthrop College in Rock Hill but the lack of funds and the ensuing World War II ended that longing. Thus, she married Paul before he began his service in the U.S. Navy aboard the USS Cape Gloucester (CVE-109), an aircraft carrier in the South Pacific Ocean. Later she and Paul made their home in Florence, S.C. where they began their family. Paul retired as an insurance agent with Ed Harrell and Associates. Her eldest son Michael graduated from Southside High School and The Citadel and later retired as a Colonel in the U.S. Air Force as a C-130 pilot. Her second son Stephen died three days after his birth in 1954. One year later she gave birth to twins Ronnie and Donnie at McLeod Infirmary. They graduated from West Florence High School. Ronnie, a Citadel graduate, is employed by MUSC in Charleston. Donnie, a Wofford College graduate became Vicar of Christ Church Florence in 2015 after graduating from St. Andrews Seminary Cum Laud and completing his doctoral work at St. Edmund Hall, Oxford, England.
Prior to her employment at FMU, Lorene was a Quality Control Supervisor for Electro-Motive Manufacturing. She was hired by Ms. Delores Miller as a Printing Operator. She retired after years of loyal service to her beloved university. She always taught that an education was a valuable resource and although she was unable to attend college herself, she and her husband sacrificed much to give their three sons a chance to earn a college degree.
After her retirement she helped for several years at Calvary Baptist Church as a nursery school attendant. Six years ago she suffered a stroke that left her paralyzed on her right side which leaves her wheelchair bound today. Her spirits are still strong and her intellect is still sharp. She is a current resident of Pruitt Health in Dillon, S.C.
For her long and faithful service to South Carolina and Francis Marion University, Lorene Moody Hayes will be recognized by Dr. Fred Carter, President of FMU in Florence. The ceremony will be held at the Pines Nursing Home in Dillon. Lorene Moody Hayes served her state and university for twenty dedicated years (January 03, 1974 to June 30, 1994).
The proclmation reads as follows:
Francis Marion University
A Proclamation
WHEREAS, Lorene Moody Hayes always considered education to be an invaluable goal, but
was unable to attend college because of economic conditions accompanying the
Depression and World War II; and
WHEREAS, her twenty year service to Francis Marion College as a member of the Office Services
staff contributed substantially to the educational mission of the University; and
WHEREAS, during her time at Francis Marion she was recognized on numerous occasions for her
work excellence, especially the superb training that she provided to student assistants;
and
WHEREAS, after her retirement from Francis Marion she continued to influence the development
of children through the after-school care program of Calvary Baptist Church; and
WHEREAS, throughout her life, she and her husband strove to ensure that their three sons
acquired stellar collegiate educations; and
WHEREAS, Francis Marion University wishes to acknowledge her support of education, in its
many forms, and to express our appreciation for her dedication and commitment to
the people of South Carolina.
BE IT THEREFORE PROCLAIMED, THAT on this twenty-ninth day of April, two thousand
and nineteen, that the University’s trustees, administrators, faculty, staff, and students
do hereby express and affirm our gratitude and appreciation to Lorene Moody Hayes
for her service to the University and her various roles as an educator
