Born on January 19, 1942, in Northampton County, North Carolina, Janet Marie "Reedy" Hayes was the youngest child of William Henry "Daddy Ballsy" Darden and Antoinette "Mama Baby Sis" Darden. Affectionately known as "Reedy," she grew up surrounded by the love of her parents and five older siblings, completing the close-knit Darden family that would become the foundation for generations to come.

As a young woman, Janet eventually made Virginia her home, living in Warwick, Portsmouth, and later Newport News, where she built a life centered on family. She married Ernest Hayes, and together they welcomed four children—two sons, Ernest Hayes Jr. and Arthur Hayes, and two daughters, Leathia M. Pinder and Maureen Evans. Although Janet experienced the heartbreaking loss of her husband in 1972, she continued raising her family with strength, determination, and unconditional love.

Janet took great pride in being a mother and grandmother. By the time of her passing, she was blessed with 12 grandchildren and one great-grandchild, each carrying forward a part of her legacy. Her life was enriched by the close relationships she shared with her brothers and sisters—Erdie Virginia Jordan, John William Darden, Jesse Lee Darden, Lennie O'Dell Daniel, Beulah Jane Daye, and Lois Powell—a testament to the enduring bond of the Darden family.

On January 7, 2003, Janet peacefully departed this life at Riverside Regional Medical Center in Newport News, Virginia, just days before her 61st birthday. Though her time here was cut short, the love she poured into her children, grandchildren, siblings, and extended family continues to live on through each generation.

Janet "Reedy" Hayes is remembered not only as the youngest of the Darden siblings, but as a devoted mother, proud grandmother, loving sister, and cherished aunt whose place in the Darden legacy remains forever secure. Her memory serves as another reminder that while our loved ones may leave this earth, the love they gave and the family they helped build never fades.