Mother Lourine Brown Hayes was born in Waxahachie, TX on July 9, 1926, to the parentage of Anthony Brown, Sr. of Brownfield, Mississippi & Montiel Brown-Cox (nee. Smith) of Marshall, TX. Collectively, her father (who was a freed slave) had 26 children, and she was the 7th born of the 9 children born to Montiel.

Though she only made it to the 9th grade in the Dallas Independent School District, Mother Hayes was a virtuous woman full of strength & wisdom. As a young woman, she left home to care for her ailing maternal grandmother, Georgia Smith. Some years later, in 1957, she met and married Mr. Thomas Neal Hayes, and one daughter was born to this union, Glenna Hayes-Gambrell. She united with the Church Of The Living God (C.W.F.F.), Temple # 145, at a very early age.

Mother Hayes, affectionally called “Big” and “Auntie,” lived a full life, serving faithfully in the church as its longest-standing member & was the oldest living member of the congregation at the time of her passing. She served on the Senior Usher Board as its President, Building Fund Committee, Pastor’s Aide Committee, Sunday School Primary Class teacher, the Mission, the Mother’s Board, and served as the sick & shut-in home care coordinator Additionally, Lourine served as one of the founding sponsors & transportation coordinator for the Voices of Biglow youth choir.

She offered her life in faithful service until her health failed her in the 9th decade of her life. Over the course of her lifetime, she worked professionally as a domestic engineer (housekeeper), nursemaid, & caregiver for over 70 years. “One glad morning” in the early hours of April 15, 2026, at the triumphant age of 99 & 3 quarters, Mother Hayes was gloriously & peacefully called from the cares of this life and took on the wings of the morning to fly away and be at rest.

Celebrating 99 THE LIFE & LEGACY Preceding her in death are her parents Anthony & Montiel, her siblings: Anthony Brown, Jr., Mae Henry, Pernella, Mack (Dee), Marie Jones, Bennie, Georgia Mae Clark (Harold), Earnest (Ruth), Prince Edward, Sr. (Daisy Mae), Catherine Dotson (Richard), Dorothy L. Booker (Alfred, Sr.), as well as her youngest grandson, Harold Douglas Gambrell, II. She leaves to cherish her legacy: a loving daughter, Glenna Gambrell (Son-n-law, Harold, Sr.); 7 grandchildren: Moses (Ralonda), Gwendelyn, Billie, Georgia Grace (Delon), James (Rykaliah), Armanda Smart (Noland), and Marian Carouthers (Bruce); 20 great-grandchildren, 2 great-great grandchildren, sister-in-law Mary Louise Daniels, and a host of beloved nieces, nephews, relatives & friends.