Mattie Hayes

Mattie B. (Pennington) Hayes departed this life early Sunday morning, July 14, 2013. Her parents were Claborn Allen Pennington and Margaret Hanna Higgins. Ten siblings preceded her in death, Robert, Andrew Samuel, Annie Elizabeth, George Thomas, William, Palis, Jesse James, Ellen, Florence and Mary Silvia. John Franklin Pennington (94 years old) is the sole surviving sibling. He and his wife, Ruby live in Los Lunas, New Mexico. Mattie was born on July 30, 1915 in Stanford, Kentucky (Lincoln County).
After graduating from high school, she married Mack Thomas Hayes and moved to Covington and later to Cincinnati, Ohio. Mattie was an ambitious woman and did housekeeping work before she put herself through nursing school and became a Registered Nurse. She was one of the few African American’s to achieve this status at that time. She worked many years at Christ Hospital before retiring and made many friends and acquaintances along the way. Mattie was a very talented and intelligent woman. She was an excellent cook and tailor and her clothing was featured in many local fashion shows. She was active in the social community and was an Eastern Star, Aleikum Temple #96 in Covington. She was a believer in God and Christ and a faithful member at Mount Zion Missionary Baptist Church until her health prevented her from attending.
Mattie never birthed any children, but she had many relatives and friends who she helped rear, mentor and pro-vide for financially throughout her lifetime. She leaves many family members and friends to mourn her death. Especially her niece, Ethel Woods who was her caregiver and best friend, Lucille McMullen-McGill whom she mentored and worked with at Christ Hospital and fondly called her daughter, and her great-nephew, Gregory Mullins.