Uvvon Serena Abbess Haymon

Uvvon Serena Abbess Haymon, a resident of Central, Louisiana since 1980, was born on July 24, 1949, in Liberty, Texas, to magazine‑sales travelers James Abbess and Reda Randall Abbess. "Serena" passed away on July 24, 2026, she was 77.

A convert to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Serena was a pioneer in her own right. Throughout her life, she pushed through socioeconomic poverty as a child to become a bartender, beautician, artist, lobbyist for homeschooling rights, and she eventually became an avid genealogist whose work benefited researchers across the world. She spent years locating lost cemeteries throughout the South and searching courthouses for surviving census materials. Her most significant contribution was identifying and extracting a set of school‑census documents known as the Educable Children Records—a system created to count children who could be educated. The discovery of this record quickly replaced courthouse census documents destroyed by fire. Her work preserved names, family structures, and district information that would otherwise have been lost, helping genealogists worldwide trace their roots.Serena is preceded in death by her brother Kenneth E. Abbess; her sons Christopher A. Haymon (Yvonne Sue New – deceased) and Thomas A. Haymon; her granddaughter Ruth Townsend; and her parents. She is survived by her uncle Ronnie Randall (Anna); her husband of 43 years, Densyl L. Haymon Jr.; and their children Cynthia Perry (Timothy), Andrea Townsend (William), and Jessica S. Hardy (Joseph). Her grandchildren include Emma‑Leanne, Benjamin, Olivia, Liah, Evelyn, Tony, Isaiah, Melanie, and Tyler. Funeral services and burial will be held privately.

In lieu of flowers or gifts, the family invites tithes to Jerusalem Baptist Church through the secure "In Lieu of Flowers" button below.