Mariella Hays

Mariella Hays Tupelo- Mariella Shipton Hays, 90, died Saturday, February 1, 2020. at Diversicare in Amory. She was born June 9, 1929, to Freddie Paul Shipton and Lena Lorene Johnson Shipton in Hayti, Missouri. Mariella graduated from Hayti High School and continued her education with a Bachelor’s in Business from Arkansas State and a Master’s in Education from the University of Mississippi. At Arkansas State, she was a member of Alpha Gamma Sorority. On November 3, 1951, she married her husband, Aubry Hays, in Southeast Arkansas. In her younger years and early married life, she was a school teacher at Mt. Tabor Elementary School in Southeast Arkansas and Joyner Street Elementary School in Tupelo. She was a member the Order of the Eastern Star and North Mississippi Medical Center Auxiliary where she served as president from 1990 to 1991. Mariella and her husband, Aubry, have been members of Calvary Baptist Church for over 60 years. She is survived by her husband of 68 years, Aubry Hays of Tupelo; two children, Dr. Rick Hays and his wife, Tonya Sanders Hays of Gulfport and Mari Lynn Hays of Jackson; two grandchildren, Aubrey Hays of Austin, Texas and Rosemary Grace Hays of Nashville, Tennessee and family friend, Greg Catledge of Charlotte, North Carolina. She is preceded in death by her parents, Fred Paul Shipton and Lena Shipton; one grandson, Rick Alexander; and one brother, James Marion Shipton. Services will be 2 p.m. Tuesday, February 4, 2020 at the Jefferson Street Chapel of W. E. Pegues with Rev. Chris DeGeorge officiating and family friend, Greg Catledge providing the eulogy. Burial will be at Lee Memorial Park. Visitation will be 12 p.m. until services time Tuesday, February 4, 2020, at W. E. Pegues, Tupelo. Memorials may be made to Calvary Baptist Church, general fund, 501 West Main Street, Tupelo, MS 38804 and Tupelo Lee Humane Society, 2795 Cliff Gookin Blvd, Tupelo, MS 38801. Expressions of sympathy may be left at www.peguesfuneralhome.com .