KANNAPOLIS – Mary Janet Towell Hayer, of Kannapolis, passed away at 3:50 a.m., Tuesday, Dec. 19, 2006, at Five Oaks Manor in Concord.

Mary Janet Towell was born April 18, 1921, in Mooresville, a daughter of the late Andrew Jackson and Annie Jane Lee Towell. They called her “Jannette” even though the spelling was for the shorter version. In the mill where she worked, they called her “Mary.” Her granddaughter was named Janet and called the way it was spelled. Over the years she came to prefer the shortened pronunciation.

Mrs. Hayer was a member of Second Presbyterian Church in Mooresville with her brothers and sisters. She walked to school and often stopped at her grandparents’ (John and Margaret Ann Morrison Towell) house on the way home from school. When she was 14 years old, an older man came into her life. Someone had told Janet that Andy Hayer wanted to meet her. From that they had a very short courtship. They were married June 13, 1936 in York, S.C. They lived on his parent’s farm for a while and moved around between Mooresville and Kannapolis before finally settling in Kannapolis in 1943. She became a weaver in Cannon Mills Plant 1. She worked in number 7 weave room for more than 30 years before retiring in 1983.

She became a member of Midway Methodist Church in 1945, where all her children were baptized. Mrs. Hayer had been suffering poor health for many years. During the last three weeks her health declined rapidly. At her insistence, the family held “MawMaw’s” annual family Christmas party on Saturday, Dec. 16. For her comfort, the party was held at Five Oaks Manor, whose staff was kind and helpful to Mrs. Hayer and her family. She had been a resident at Five Oaks for two years. Previously she had been a long-time resident of 701 Rogers Lake Road, Kannapolis.

Mary Hayer was preceded in death by her husband, Andy Wilson Hayer; brothers Boyce Bell Towell and Jack Venoid Towell, husband of Beatrice Eichmann Towell of Mount Pleasant, S.C.; sisters Ornah Idell Towell Caldwell, wife of Robert Morrison Caldwell, Thelma Jane Towell, Annie Margaret Towell King, widow of Billy George King; grandson Paul Edward “Eddie” Scoggins Jr.; and her granddaughter, Karla Robin Austin.

She is survived by son Larry Wilson Hayer, husband of Gay Clayton Hayer of Kannapolis; and daughters Carolyn Ann Hayer Scoggins, wife of Paul Edward Scoggins Sr., Mary Margaret Hayer Lee Austin Powers of Kannapolis, Cathy Arlene Hayer Gordon Overcash, wife of Merle Alexander Overcash Jr. of Concord, Debra Ellen Hayer Winecoff Mathews, wife of Hubert Carroll Mathews of Davidson.

She is also survived by grandsons Clayton Alexander Hayer, husband of Emily Dawn Laws Hayer of Cary, Kelly Scott Austin of Kannapolis, Richard Kirkpatrick Austin of Kannapolis, Richard Wesley Gordon of Kannapolis; and granddaughters Daphne Laurel Hayer of Albemarle, Frances Gay Hayer Caton, wife of Mark Eric Caton of Concord, Tamra Lea Scoggins Misenheimer, wife of Virgil Leroy Misenheimer of China Grove, Janet Ann Scoggins Haywood, wife of Jeremiah Frank Haywood Jr. of Kannapolis, Karen Denise Lee Sports, wife of Donald Sports of Bennettsville, S.C., Brandy Nicole Gordon Myers, wife of Lewis Bryon Myers of China Grove, Catherine Rachelle Gordon Scarborough, wife of Matthew Scarborough of China Grove, Andrea Michele Winecoff Kiser, wife of Wesley Alan Kiser of Harrisburg. Her great-grandchildren are Sophia Grace Hayer, Kayla Suzanne Scoggins, Kristen Marie Misenheimer, Andrew James Misenheimer, Matthew Bryan Misenheimer, Hollie Elizabeth Haywood, Haley Victoria Haywood, Isaiah Jackson Haywood, Isaac Zachary Haywood, Brandon Lee Sports, Joshua Matthew Sports, Aleesha Danielle Sports, Christopher Dale Austin, Ashley Nicole Austin, Kelly Scott Austin, Kenneth Patrick Karriker, Alex Hunter Myers, Kayleah Celeste Scarborough, Ethan Matthew Scarborough. She has one great-great-granddaughter, Kyla Brooke Sports.

She is survived by brothers Clyde Leonard Towell, husband of Rachel Virginia Woodley Towell of Mooresville, Ned Calvin Towell, widower of Rachel Annette Stonestreet Towell of Salisbury, Thomas Malcolm Towell, husband of Joyce Rowe Towell of Stockton, Calif.; and sisters Jonnie Mae Towell Sigmon, widow of Clyde Donald Sigmon of Mooresville and Phyllis Marie Towell Carrigan, wife of Wade Pharr Carrigan of Mooresville.

Visitation: The family will receive friends from 7-9 p.m. tonight at Whitley’s Funeral Home. At other times, they will be at the home of a daughter, Debbie Mathews.

Service: Funeral services will be held at Midway United Methodist Church at 2 p.m. Friday with the Rev. Dave R. Cash Sr. officiating. Burial will be at Carolina Memorial Park.

Memorials: Memorials may be made to We Care Fund, Midway United Methodist Church, 108 Bethpage Road, Kannapolis, NC 28081; or Hospice and Palliative Care of Cabarrus, 5003 Boy Scout Camp Road, Kannapolis, NC 28081.

Online condolences may be left at www. whitleysfuneralhome.com