Monna Ruth Rooker Patterson Young Hayden, “Mimi”, passed away on Thurs., Jan. 18, 2024, peacefully at home surrounded by her family, at the age of 93.
Monna was born on Nov. 7, 1930, in Laurel, Mississippi to Addie Beatrice Boler Rooker and Franklin Otis Rooker. The middle child of 3, Monna grew up with her older sister, Yvonne, and younger brother, Lance, in the town of Laurel for most of her young adult life. Staying true to her Mississippi roots, she studied at Jones Junior College in Ellisville, Mississippi, and graduated with an associate degree in Sociology. She then went on to continue her studies at Southern Miss University, majoring in Elementary Education. While studying she began to work for the local power company, Dixie Electric, and discontinued her studies while pursuing a career.
As fate would have it, this change in path moved her back to her childhood home and reacquainted with an old beau, Tom Patterson. Tom and Monna fell in love, married, and went on to have two children, Iris Jan (born in 1955) and Virginia Ann “Ginny” (born in 1962). They lived out 37 years of marriage from Laurel to Jackson, Mississippi, to Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, and then to Metairie, Louisiana, where they lived until Tom passed away in 1990.
In 1992, Monna decided then to move to Baldwin County to be closer to Miles and Ginny and their four children and settled into the Spanish Fort Community. She became involved as an active member of Old Spanish Fort Baptist Church and would later meet Bill Young, whom she married in 1996. Bill and Monna enjoyed many happy years together traveling in their camper, carving special wood and gourd pieces, and enjoying their combined number of 14 grandchildren, 12 of them granddaughters. They served in the Eastern Shore Baptist congregation and resided in Daphne until Bill’s passing in 2005.
Monna resided in Daphne, next door to her family until she met Buddy Hayden and the two wed in 2007. The couple resided in Fairhope for over 10 years before moving back to Daphne to be closer to family. The couple enjoyed over 17 years of marriage together and shared a love for landscaping and gardening in each of their homes and attending St. Lawrence Catholic Church and Eastern Shore Baptist Church.
Monna will be remembered by her family as a creative artist, with her medium as fabric. An avid seamstress and Quilter, she handmade over 50 quilts, earning numerous awards and recognition for her work. She also enjoyed sewing holiday and specialty clothing for her grandchildren as they grew up. Monna’s artistic talents also spanned into embroidery, woodcarving, and gourd making. When not in her sewing room, Monna loved her garden and bird watching, keeping up with the Crimson Tide on Saturdays, and baking her favorite southern sweets.
Monna lived her life for God and her never-ending faith and relentless strength were evident in everything she did, even at the golden age of 93.
Monna is preceded in death by her mother and father, Addie, and Franklin Rooker; sister, Yvonne Graham (Joe); brother, Lance Rooker (Sylvia); husbands, Tom Patterson, and Bill Young; nephew, Timothy Rooker (Lance); son-in-law, Gregory J. Ciolino (Iris); and grandson, Brandon Ciolino (Iris).
She is survived by her husband, Buddy Hayden; her daughters, Iris Ciolino
and Ginny Paisant (Miles); stepchildren, Gregory Hayden (Beth), Suzan Hayden-Speiser, Melissa Hayden, and Scott Hayden; grandchildren, Lauren Ciolino, Katelyn Ciolino, Jessica Paisant, Lindsay Bailey (Shawn), Jamie Boyington (Daniel) and Josh Paisant; and her great-grandchildren, Charlotte Boyington (Jamie), Carson Bailey (Lindsay) and Ada Bailey (Lindsay).
Funeral services were held at Hughes Funeral Home, 26209 Pollard Road in Daphne, AL., on Fri. Jan. 26, 2024. The visitation was held at 11 AM followed by the service at 12 PM. A graveside burial took place at Hickory Grove Cemetery in Laurel, Mississippi, on Sat, Jan. 27, 2024, at 1 PM.
In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation to St. Jude Children’s Hospital in honor of Ada Leigh Bailey at https://www.stjude.org/ Expressions of condolences for the family may be made at www.hughesfh.com. Hughes Funeral Home, Daphne, AL, is assisting the family.
