Yola Hayes

We lost a special and much-loved soul on December 10, 2025. Yola Hayes passed away very peacefully at her home just like she wanted, with her family by her side and entered into eternal rest in God's loving embrace.
Yola was born on February 10, 1934, in Roma, Texas, to Javier and Carlota Garcia. She lived most of her life in Corpus Christi. Yola graduated from WB Ray High School in 1952, and although it was a difficult decision to make, she went on to further her education and pursue her college degree as a young & new mother to her first-born child. Yola graduated from Texas Women's University in Denton, Texas, with her bachelor's degree in education and then returned home to reunite with her precious daughter. She often reminded us that it was the help of Our Lady of Guadalupe she prayed to every day at mass that got her through the time apart from her family and daughter.
Yola was a long-time educator serving as a wonderful, devoted elementary school teacher for over 36 years with the Corpus Christi Independent School District. She began her teaching career at Prescott Elementary and Crockett Elementary, briefly teaching in San Antonio between the two. It wasn't until she found her true teaching home in the early 1970's at Montclair Elementary where she stayed nearly 30 years upon her retirement in the early 1990's. She was dearly loved by her students and their parents and never forgotten. She was a strong advocate of underprivileged students and was caring, kind and generous with them. She would buy shoes and clothes for those that were in need and she was known for making breakfast and bringing it with her to school (and breaking the rules) and allowing her students to eat quietly in her classroom for those that needed a meal. Teaching was definitely her love and passion. She often loved telling stories to her children, and granddaughter Sarah about her lifelong experience as a teacher hoping Sarah would follow in her footsteps and she did.
Yola also loved music, dancing, gardening and making special meals for her children and grandchildren, often making her amazing homemade flour tortillas and salsa with much pride. She enjoyed entertaining and parties and had many friends. She was always rooting for the underdog and encouraging and uplifting those who were sad and discouraged. She loved her three children with her whole heart and soul, and she adored her grandchildren and great-grandchildren very much as they brought immeasurable joy and light to her life and loved them even more and was very proud of all of them. To her, becoming a grandmother and a great-grandmother was one of the most endearing experiences in her lifetime.
She is preceded in death by her parents, her little brother, Javier Humberto, her beloved grandson, Nathan Hinojosa, her loving son-in-law, Larry Crider, and her adoring sister-in-law, Jan Garcia. Yola is survived by her daughter, Nelda Hinojosa-Crider, her two sons Carl C. Hayes (Priscila) and Richard Hayes, her grandchildren, Sarah Hinojosa, Miranda Hayes, and Pearl Hayes, her great-grandchildren, Nicolas, Noah, Ryan, and Emma, her sister, Lillie Holt, her brother, George H Garcia, her nephews, Brad Holt, John Holt (Jackie), Anthony Garcia (Jennifer), her niece Yolanda Garcia (Nathan), her great-nephews and great-nieces, Gabriel, Ruben, Sofia, Jonny, Jordan, & John Thomas, and her very dearest best friend, Nelly Perroni.
Her family is deeply grateful for her dear friend and caretaker Nelly Lerma who was very loving, kind and dedicated to our mother for many years. The family would like to extend their deepest gratitude to Angel Bright Hospice in her final days for their care, kindness, and support.
A Funeral Mass will be celebrated on Saturday, December 20, 2025, at 1 PM at St Pius X Catholic Church. A private Intermittent will follow at a later date.
Mom, thank you for everything. You were so brave and strong. You were our hero. We are going to miss you so much. You will be in all of our hearts always. Merry Christmas
If EVENTS are posted below, floral tributes may be ordered for those services, otherwise, floral tributes will automatically be delivered to the primary family address on file. To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Yola, please visit our floral store.