Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. on Thursday, Oct. 3, 2024, in the chapel of McKibben and Guinn Funeral Service in Grenada honoring the life of Patsy Sykes Wheeler Hayward, 87, who died on Sunday, Sept. 29, in Charleston. Burial will follow in Woodlawn Memorial Park of Grenada. Visitation will be held one hour prior to the service on Thursday, Oct. 3, at McKibben and Guinn Funeral Service.
Mrs. Hayward was born on May 30, 1937, the daughter of the late Erskin C. and the late Ann Pullen Sykes of Winona. She was a graduate of Winona High School. A graduate of Mississippi College, she earned a bachelor’s degree, majoring in English. She taught in Vaiden and Duck Hill before working for many years as a bookkeeper and office manager at Universal Steel Buildings of Grenada.
Mrs. Hayward loved growing flowers, cooking and especially playing bridge with her friends. She was also organist for many years at Enon Baptist Church where she was a member. She has one sister, Betty Dantone, of Brandon.
Patsy was married to Robert F. “Bob” Wheeler from 1961 until his death in 1976. They were the parents of two sons, John Whitley “Whit” Wheeler and Robert West Wheeler. She married W.A. Hayward Jr. of Grenada in 1981, and he preceded her in death in January 2024.
Survivors include, her sons, John Whitley “Whit” Wheeler and his wife, Kristen, of Arlington, Va., and Robert West Wheeler and his wife, Melissa, of Grenada; grandchildren, Sarah Wheeler and Jacob Wheeler of Arlington, Va.; Ethan Wheeler, Elijah Wheeler and Joshua Wheeler of Hattiesburg; Zachary Swartz and Elijah Swartz of Southaven and Bailey Mae Wheeler of Sparks, Nev. She is also survived by a special niece, Suzanne Dantone King (wife of husband, Shane King) of Brandon and a special nephew, David Dantone (husband of Mary) of Homewood, Ala. Patsy is also survived by great nephews, Sykes King and Sam Dantone, and great nieces, Emma Kate King and Rosemary Dantone.
Online condolences can be expressed to the family at www.mckibbenandguinn.com
McKibben and Guinn Funeral Service in Grenada is in charge of arrangements.
