Deborah Barnett Hayes

Deborah Barnett Hayes, Ed.D, age 65, of Johnson City, Tennessee, went to her eternal Home on

Saturday, April 22, 2023.

Deborah was born November 6, 1957, in Farmville, Virginia, to the late Carroll Edward Barnett,

Sr. and Barbara Ann Barnett.

She was an active member of Living Word Lutheran Church in Johnson City.

Deborah attended ETSU where she met the love of her life, Jimmy Lynn Hayes. They married on

December 26, 1981, and together they raised three boys: Trevor, Taylor, and Parker. After her

children were in school, Deborah went back to school herself and earned her educational

doctorate from ETSU. She started with Washington County Schools as a Special Education

Teacher/ Behavior Modification specialist at Boones Creek Middle School and the

Comprehensive Disability Classroom teacher at Daniel Boone High School from 1999-2007.

From 2007- 2020 she served as a Comprehensive Disability Classroom teacher at Science Hill

High School. She briefly retired in 2020 and then went back to work for Johnson City Schools as

a Behavior Specialist working throughout the school system with all special education teachers

and students.

In her free time, Deborah was an avid reader, and she enjoyed watching British crime dramas

and researching family history and genealogy. Deborah and Jim visited Ireland and Scotland, a

trip that Deborah cherished, often saying she was homesick for a country she only visited.

In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her youngest son, James-Carroll Parker

Hayes.

Those left to cherish her memory include her husband, Jimmy Hayes; sons, Trevor N. Hayes of

Fort Pierce, FL, Taylor T. A. Hayes (and Sarah Vella), Jonesborough, TN and brother, Carroll

Edward Barnett, Jr. of Chuckey, TN; special aunt, Ruth Dowdy; and several aunts, uncles,

and cousins.

Deborah’s family will receive friends from 5:00-6:30 pm on Thursday, April 27, 2023, at Living

Word Lutheran Church (5210 N Roan St, Johnson City). A funeral service will immediately

follow at 6:30 pm under the direction of Pastor Andrew Stuebs. The funeral will be livestreamed

and available to view from the church’s Facebook page. A committal service will commence at

10:00 am on Friday, April 28, 2023, at Monte Vista Memorial Park. Pallbearers will be Tommy

Jackson, Joseph Barnett, Jr., Wesley Barnett, Cliff Dowdy, Carroll Edward Barnett, Jr., and Ty

Jennings.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital

(https://www.stjude.org/ or 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105) or Living Word Lutheran

Church, Legacy Fund (5210 N. Roan St, Johnson City, TN 37615).

Memories and condolences may be shared with the family via www.morrisbaker.com

Morris-Baker Funeral Home, 2001 E Oakland Ave, Johnson City, Tennessee, is honored to serve

the Hayes family. (423) 282-1521