Mrs. Carol Virginia Hayes-Christiansen, 93, passed away peacefully on Wednesday, March 19, 2025, at the Skilled Nursing Health Pavilion at Oak Hammock at the University of Florida. She was a founding member of Oak Hammock, moving first to an independent living apartment in 2004 and then transferring to Skilled Nursing in 2018. She was preceded in death by her husband, Ken Christiansen, and her brother.

She was born in Dayton, Ohio on August 26, 1931, and raised in Naugatuck, Connecticut. She came to Gainesville in June 1957 to be part of the initial faculty of the new College of Nursing at the University of Florida. She had a wonderful career, rising from instructor to associate professor at the time of her retirement in 1987. She received her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the University of Connecticut and a master's in education from the University of Florida in 1963. She co-authored a textbook on cardiovascular nursing. Following her retirement, she earned two additional fine-arts degrees from the University of Florida.

She was a member of the First Presbyterian Church and sang for many years as part of the Chancel Choir. Although she never played handbells in her youth, she was introduced to them as an adult by a dear friend and played with the adult choir and assisted with the youth bell choir for many years at First Presbyterian.

Mrs. Hayes-Christiansen was a life-long learner and enjoyed music, travel, knitting, golf, and attending summer programs at the Chautauqua Institute in Jamestown, New York. She was an avid booster of the Florida Gators sports teams, holding season's tickets for football and men's basketball as well as cheering for women's volleyball.

She leaves one sister, Lois Ethel Rudy of Seven Hills, Ohio, one niece, two nephews, two step-sons and their families and many friends.

Private funeral services were held at Forest Meadows Memorial Park – Central, Gainesville. The family requests that any donations in Carol's memory be directed to the Oak Hammock Benevolent Fund, 5100 SW 25th Blvd., Gainesville, FL 32608.

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