Jean B. (Berardesca) Hayes

Jean B. Hayes, age 81, of Fairfield, beloved wife of the late Thomas J. Hayes, passed away peacefully, Tuesday, March 2, 2021 at Bridgeport Hospital.  Born in Brooklyn, NY the daughter of the late Vincent and Lucy (Fucci) Berardesca, she had been a Fairfield resident since 1986.  Jean received her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Education from Hunter College.  She taught in the New York Public School system for many years.  Jean started out her career in Brooklyn at PS132 and met many life-long friends there.  She and Tom moved to Houston, TX where he was employed for Shell Oil.  Jean took time off to raise their family and returned to teaching when they moved back to the area following Tom’s retirement.  She taught at PS 112 in the North Bronx until her retirement.  Jean was a parishioner of St. Pius X Church in Fairfield, was a volunteer for the Tommy Fund in New Haven and enjoyed connecting with her fellow Italian-American friends in an informal group they created.  Jean loved spending time with her family, especially her loving grandchildren.  Survivors include two beloved children, Vincent J. Hayes and his wife Amy of Fairfield and Victoria Shepard and her husband David of Beaufort, SC; four cherished grandchildren, Seraphina and Isabella Hayes and David and Margaret Shepard; and a loving and devoted sister, Stephanie Berardesca of Elmhurst, NY.  A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated Saturday, March 6, 2021 at 10:00 a.m. at St. Pius X Church, 834 Brookside Drive, Fairfield.  Interment will be private at Oak Lawn Cemetery.  A walk-through visitation will be held Friday from 5-7 p.m. in the Spear-Miller Funeral Home, 39 South Benson Road, Fairfield.  Face masks and social distancing will be required for the Mass and the visitation.  If desired memorial contributions may be made to National Public Radio (NPR), P.O. Box 791490, Baltimore, MD 21279-1490.  For information or to offer an online condolence please visit www.SpearFuneralHome.com