Merle Carson Hayhurst, 87, of Beaumont, died Wednesday, October 3, 2018. She was born on December 7, 1930. As long-time resident of Beaumont, Mrs. Hayhurst was a loving mother and grandmother and was known to many musicians and students as well as her church.

Funeral Services will be 2:00pm, Saturday, October 6, 2018, at First Baptist Church in Loeb, Texas. Burial will follow at Forest Lawn Memorial Park Cemetery in Beaumont, Texas.

A visitation will be held from 5:00pm-8:00pm Friday, October 5, 2018 at Claybar Kelley-Watkins Funeral Home in Beaumont.

She was involved in teaching and community activities for over 60 years and continued to entertain others well into retirement at Summer Place using music therapy to help others. Mrs. Hayhurst received her Bachelor of Music Education degree in 1952 from North Texas State University in Denton TX after graduating from Beaumont High School in 1948.

As a teenager, she went from being an exceptional pianist to being active with the school marching band playing trumpet and French horn and was part of the Melody Maids using her extraordinary vocal talents.

After pursuing her college degree, she was a school teacher throughout the Golden Triangle area teaching Kindergarten to high school which included numerous musical productions that she directed. After raising her five children, she managed The Knife Shop in Parkdale Mall for 20 years and later was the church accompanist for the First Baptist Church of Loeb in Lumberton for 18 years.

She is preceded in death by her parents Dorothy Sveum Wiggins and Alvin Carson, and stepfather, Bruce Wiggins. She is survived by her brother, Bruce Wiggins, Jr of Houston; her daughter, Kathy Lowe, of Simpsonville, SC; and four sons and their families, Jim Hayhurst and wife, Jewel, of Ft. Collins, CO; Philip Hayhurst and wife, Dijeanait, of San Antonio, TX; Randy Hayhurst and wife, Megan, of Beaumont; and Les Hayhurst and wife, Denise, of Arlington, TX.