Black History
Family, friends and sorors help Joeretha Hayes celebrate her 85th birthday
DAYTONA TIMES – Joeretha Hayes, a retired Volusia County educator, turned 85 on March 29 and the special day brought her many surprises right outside of her front door. A drive-by birthday party, organized by her daughter, LaVeta Hayes-Logan, was attended by family, friends and her sorors of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.
BY DAYTONA TIMES STAFF
Joeretha Hayes, a retired Volusia County educator, turned 85 on March 29 and the special day brought her many surprises right outside of her front door. A drive-by birthday party, organized by her daughter, LaVeta Hayes-Logan, was attended by family, friends and her sorors of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.
“I had a wonderful time and was delighted by all of the gifts, warm wishes and surprise by my daughter LaVeta. I couldn’t believe she pulled this off at my house,’’ Mrs. Hayes said.
Her daughter told the Daytona Times, “It was such an honor for me to see her tears of joy, which made it all worth it.’’
Born in Jacksonville, Mrs. Hayes is the daughter of the late Mr. and Mrs. Raiford Stringfield of Jacksonville. She has one sister, Joyce Walker.
She came to Daytona Beach to attend then Bethune-Cookman College and graduated in 1959.
EDUCATOR FOR 36 YEARS
She married her college sweetheart, Edward “Creamy” Hayes, Jr. They were married for 63 years until his passing. The union brought them two children – Edward Hayes III (deceased) and LaVeta Hayes, also graduates of Bethune-Cookman University.
Bethune-Cookman honored them with the Total Family Medallion for all family members graduating from the university.
Mrs. Hayes also has two grandchildren and three great grands.
An educator for 36 years in Volusia County schools, her first teaching job was at Campbell Street Elementary under the late John Dickerson. She taught fourth grade for five years.
She later transferred to teaching physical education and for a while taught part time at Campbell and part time at Rigby Elementary. Later, the schools integrated. Mrs. Hayes transferred to Highlands Elementary. She retired from Palm Terrace Elementary.
Along with her membership in the Daytona Beach Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, she is a member of various teacher and educator associations. She’s also a member of Bethune-Cookman University’s Volusia County Alumni Chapter, the Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity Silhouettes as well as the Daytona Beach/Volusia County NAACP.
This article originally appeared in the Daytona Times.
