Anna Hayes, age 61, of Rockwood, passed away November 13, 2020 at Methodist Medical Center after an extended illness with COVID-19. She was a Christian, of the Baptist faith, and a member of First Baptist Church in Lenoir City, She had recently joined the Gideons Auxiliary, serving with her husband.  Anna was born in England on July 4, 1959, where her father, an American GI and Ex-POW, met her mother. They soon returned to the USA and after numerous assignments at USAF installations around the country, settled in Prattville, Alabama and Maxwell Air Force Base.  Anna was a Registered Nurse, first licensed in 1979, and helped many patients in that role throughout her career. She was an advocate for many having healthcare concerns even after her career was ended early by prior illness. She still volunteered at health fairs and mission trips for healthcare. Anna was an avid Alabama Roll Tide fan, a lover of animals, especially Chihuahuas and cows, an amateur (ham) radio operator, active in her local radio club, and county Amateur Emergency Radio Service, and Tennessee Baptist Disaster Relief. She was a great cook and baker, crafter, lover of books, reading and music (ranging from Guy Penrod to Rod Stewart). Anna loved traveling RV style, shopping and yard sales and just having fun. She relocated permanently with her husband, and eventually her mother, to Tennessee in 2005.

She was preceded in death by her father: James B. Hayes. She is survived by her husband of almost 28 years: Phillip (Phil) Newman; mother: Sheila Hayes; daughter: Kari Nichols (Nick) and their four children, Sean, Justin, Shae and James; stepson: Lt. Col. Phillip Newman II (USAF) and his wife, Jessica and children, Elizabeth and Henry; sister-in-law: Laurie Gallagher (Flynt) and children Kendall and Kelsey; aunt: Susan Britton in England, and other extended family there; two dear cousins Janice Mammone and Alfreda Pasthing and their families in Ohio and Arkansas.  Among special friends that she called “sisters” are Ruby Davidson, Connie Human and Ernell Renfro of Rockwood, Carol Bridges (Philip) from England, Vickey Minor (Ed) from Alabama with whom she shared her July 4 birthday, and Julie Steiber (Gus) from Atlanta.  She shared her ham radio friends locally and from all over the country with her husband, who is also a licensed ham.

Following cremation, a Celebration of Life service will be announced. It will be held at Evans Mortuary and will be streamed on Facebook live. A future service will also be announced and will be held at First Baptist Church, Lenoir City. Dr. Richard DeMerchant will officiate both services. In lieu of flowers, the family asked that memorial donations be made to your choice of Small Breed Rescue of East TN (SBRET.com), The Roane County Amateur Radio Club (KE4RX.org), The Gideons International, or First Baptist Church of Lenoir City, TN (firstbaptistlc.org)