Carol Lee (Lazarick) Hayes, 79, of Harleysville, Pennsylvania passed away peacefully on Tuesday, February 20, 2024, surrounded by her family. She was the beloved wife of Jay Hayes with whom she shared 57 years of marriage and was mother of two children: Jennifer (Jen) and Christopher (Chris).

Carol was born October 3, 1944, in Philadelphia to the late Thomas and Leona (Pawidski) Lazarick. She grew up in Flourtown, PA and Chalfont, PA where she graduated from Lansdale Catholic High School in 1962 (National Honor Society). She then studied at Sacred Heart Hospital School of Nursing in Allentown, PA and graduated in 1965.

Carol found her calling in nursing and excelled in a variety of positions, including over 20 years as a Registered Nurse at Lansdale Medical Group, and then in pharmaceutical research with IBRD and Luitpold Pharmaceuticals. The pharmaceutical roles provided the opportunity for her to travel internationally, often with Jay by her side. Professionally and personally, she was known for her kindness, compassion and inclusivity, while always prioritizing her family above all else.

Her work-life balance was admirable. Carol was a true partner to Jay and was immensely proud of her children. She gave her time and attention endlessly, joyfully managing years of family activities from Chris's Boy Scouts and little league baseball games to Jen's violin lessons, horse shows and more. She cherished time spent with her grandchildren, and ensured family traditions like "Crabfest", visiting the beach house in Sea Isle City, and holiday meals were incredibly special. Carol didn't miss an opportunity to acknowledge an anniversary, birthday or accomplishment with a personal phone call, greeting card or text. Her lifelong friends and interpersonal connections were very meaningful to Carol.

Beyond her family and career, Carol was a person of deep faith, a lifelong worshipper and most recently an active member of St. Mary's Catholic Church. She also volunteered extensively as part of the American Red Cross Blood Drive team and at the Indian Valley Public Library. She was an avid reader, gardener, walker, beachgoer, and loyal fan of the Philadelphia Eagles.

In addition to her husband, Jay, Carol is survived by her two children, Christopher Hayes and his wife, Kim, of Melbourne, FL, and Jennifer (Hayes) Durkin of Hingham, MA; four grandchildren: Taylor Hayes, Andrew Hayes, Michael Durkin and Alec Durkin; her brother, Richard Lazarick and his wife, Nicola, of Trenton, NJ; sister-in-law, Suzanne (Hayes) Brown of Georgia; and six nieces and nephews.

A memorial service for Carol will take place at 1:00 PM on Saturday, March 2, 2024, at the Peter Becker Community Chapel, 800 Maple Avenue, Harleysville, PA 19438.The family will greet guests from 11:30 AM – 12:45 PM.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions in Carol's name may be made to the Alzheimer's Association by clicking here .

Online condolences may be expressed to the family at www.williamsbergeykoffel.com.