Carole Schaut Hayes, 85, of Muscle Shoals, passed away Friday, April 17, 2026.
Visitation will be 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. Monday, April 20, at Morrison Funeral Home, Tuscumbia, followed by a service in the funeral home chapel.
A private family burial will be in Tri Cities Memorial Gardens, Florence.
Affectionately known as “Bambi” to family and friends, Carole loved spending time with her friends and family, especially her grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
Carole graduated from Coffee High School, Florence, where she was a majorette. She received bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Florence State University, now the University of North Alabama. She taught elementary education for 25 years; 15 years with Muscle Shoals City Schools and 10 years with Decatur City Schools.
After retirement, she enjoyed being a room mother for her grandchildren, tutoring, and attending luncheons with fellow teachers and friends. Carole was a member of Woodward Avenue Baptist Church, Muscle Shoals, where she was active in Vacation Bible School and various church activities.
Carole was preceded in death by her husband, Bill Hayes, of Decatur; parents, C.C. and Etta Schaut, of Florence; mother, Ruby Schaut Bigger, Sheffield; and special cousin, Brenda Morrison, Tuscumbia.
Survivors include her daughter, Traci Smith Thornton (Dale), of Muscle Shoals; son, Edward Douglas Smith Jr., (Melinda), of Moulton; grandchildren, Lauren Duffey (Drew) and Seth Thornton (Kayla), all of Muscle Shoals; great-grandchildren, Elle and Colt Duffey and Sutton Thornton.
A special thanks to the staff at Lauderdale Christian Nursing Home for the loving care and kindness shown to Bambi.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, Tenn., or Woodward Avenue Baptist Church, Muscle Shoals.
