Carol Bessent Hayman

Carol Bessent Hayman, at 89

First Poet Laureate for Her Beloved Town of Beaufort

Carol Bessent Hayman, long-time resident of Beaufort, North Carolina and former Poet Laureate for Carteret County and the town of Beaufort, North Carolina passed away from natural causes on May 27.  She had been residing at Snug Harbor on Nelson Bay, Sea Level, NC for the past five years following complications related to a fall in the driveway of her Beaufort home in April of 2012 and advanced cognitive dementia.  She was born Carol Deane Bessent to George Howard Bessent and Minnie Mae Guthrie Bessent on June 9, 1927 in Southport, NC.  Her parents moved to the 618 Ann Street, Beaufort home of her grandparents, Ernest R. Guthrie and Rosa Springle Guthrie in the Depression Years of the early thirties where she attended grammar and high school.  While still in high school, she met her husband to be, a medical student at the University of North Carolina, Louis DeMaro Hayman Jr., son of then pastor of Ann Street Methodist, Louis DeMaro Hayman, Sr.  Carol and Louis, Jr. were married August 30, 1945 following the completion of Carol’s freshman year at Louisburg College. Over the next thirty–nine years, she raised two children, a son, Richard Louis and a daughter, Susan Carol in various residence locations in North Carolina from Ashville, NC to Jacksonville, NC where Louis had his offices for the practice of cardiology and internal medicine. In 1984 Carol and Louis purchased the 618 Ann Street home in Beaufort where they resided until Louis’ untimely death in November of 1993. Carol moved to Snug Harbor, a total care facility, in 2012.

Carol was a writer, a “wordsmith” who worked tirelessly, often late into the night “crafting words and phrases that would communicate the message of a poem or article. Lights would frequently glow from her study or sunroom at one in the morning. The meaning of words and the character of lives were vital and important to her. Carol had poems and prose accepted and published in newspapers throughout her young adult years but, it was not until the mid-sixties that her works gained both a wider audience and more recognized literary publications.  In 1965 she published her first book that contained the feelings and emotions of a young doctor’s wife, having children and developing a family that was founded upon Christian values.  All of those themes would be woven throughout the many poems, prose, articles that would follow. One of her first poems at the beginning of this highly productive period was; “This Day”.

This Day

Life is not lived to fullness

in one day,

Though time lifts dragging feet

while spirits race

Ahead to some far distant goal

or dream;

All our impatience

will not change the pace

Or alter, for a whit,

the ageless plan

Of work and wait,

trusting tomorrow’s light

Will bring new strength,

and hours enough to do

The things we put away undone

tonight.

Carol Bessent Hayman

(as originally published in the Christian Advocate, 1965)

Carol Bessent Hayman authored five books, literally hundreds of poems, prose and articles, three greeting cards, each containing a poem and each illustrating a scene of Beaufort. This was a  joyful collaboration with local Beaufort Artist and family friend, Alan Cheek. Carol was a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution. History, particularly North Carolina and local history, were referenced in many of her poems and articles which appeared in local, national and overseas publications, anthologies, magazines and newspapers. She has been published in Ideals Magazine, Mature Living, Marriage and Family Living, Our State, and others. She was selected by Hallmark tm to appear in two of their special occasions books.

She was a 50-year member of the National League of American Pen Women, served as Southeast editor for their national publication, The Pen Woman, and was a member of the National Board. In 1989, Carol was asked to conduct the Poetry Workshop at the biennial meeting of this national organization, in Washington, DC.

She served seven years on the Louisburg College Board of Trustees.  In 1978 she was given the Distinguished Alumnus Award for "Outstanding literary achievements as a North Carolina Poet and Author, and for “Distinguished Leadership." In December of 1982 she served, as Poet in-Residence at Louisburg College. In 1962, at the request of the college, a permanent scholarship was established in the name of Carol Bessent Hayman, providing financial aid annually to a deserving student. Carol is also a past recipient of the President’s Medal Award given by Louisburg College.

Carol strongly believed in the value of education. She taught poetry workshops and classes in Creative Writing in her home, at schools, County libraries, and in the community college system from 1978 to 2010. She was a member of the founding board of N.C. Writers Network and served three years on the board. Closer to Beaufort, she founded Carteret Writers and served as the first president of that organization. She was twice honored by Carteret Writers for her leadership and direction. She additionally served on the Board of the Carteret County Arts Council.  At the state level, she served as Vice-president of the North Carolina Poetry Society and in 2010 the Poetry Society honored Carol by naming a poetry contest for high school students within the state of North Carolina in her honor.

Carol’s poetry consistently won prizes. In 1991 she won First Place in the Poetry Council of North Carolina traditional poetry category with her poem, "Childhood Renaissance"--termed "a perfect poem" by the judge. Her award winning sonnet, "Reflections from the Castle", was chosen to be included in the 60th Anniversary Anthology of the North Carolina Poetry Society, Here's to the Land, which was published in September, 1992. Her poem, "The Last Song", won First Prize in a national contest sponsored by the California Federation of Chaparral Poets. Her article, "Walking Through Beaufort” appeared in the June, 1992, issue of Our State magazine. An article on "Grand parenting" appeared in the August, 1992, issue of Carolina Country.

Many in Carteret County became acquainted with Carol through her continuing education courses; “Creative Living” and “Reading Writing, and Remembering” taught at Carteret Community College - or through her many columns; “On the Porch” articles published twice a month in the Carteret County News Times. For many months, subsequent to the loss of Carol’s ability to write, her columns continued to be featured in the Carteret County News Times; so powerful and moving were their messages and faithful were the followers of the column.

Carol is survived by a son, Richard Louis of Braintree, Massachusetts and daughter, Susan Carol of Morrisville North Carolina; two grandsons, David Joseph Louis Hayman and Adam DeMaro Lynch, and three great-granddaughters, Kadence Ann, Keira Deane, and Kileigh Harper.  A viewing and visitation with the family will be held on Friday, June 2, 6-8 PM  at Munden Funeral Home in Morehead City. A formal Service of Remembrance will be held Saturday, June 3 at 11 AM at Ann Street United Methodist Church, Beaufort, NC. Interment will immediately follow the service at Beaufort’s Ocean View Cemetery. Carol’s passing is a true loss to her family, church, the town of Beaufort and all of Carteret County North Carolina. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Carol Bessent Hayman Scholarship at Louisburg College, Louisburg, NC or to Ann Street United Methodist Church Music Programs, Beaufort NC.

Online condolences may be made at www.mundenfuneralhome.net

Arrangements are by Munden Funeral Home & Crematory, Morehead City, NC.