Kayla Blake Hardison Perez, 31, of Ayden, passed away on Wednesday, September 7, 2022 at her home. She was preceded in death by her maternal grandparents, Bernice and Julian Sanders and Jerry Moody, paternal grandparents, Allen and Margaret Hardison, and cousin, Stephanie Marie Jones. Kayla was a loving mother and her children were her life.

Her faith in God was so strong. She did not let her physical conditions come in the way of her faith. When she met someone, she always asked if they knew God.

She is survived by her husband, Jose Perez; daughters, Ava-Jo Anderson and Natalie Perez; parents, Mike and Sandy Hardison; brothers, Joshua Hardison (Christen) and Jonathan Hardison (Stephanie); “Nana”, Becky Moody; aunts, Terry Hill (Garry), Audrey Jones (Donald “Peanut”), Temesia Jones (Tate), Bertha Carrothers (Dean), and Haley Moody; nieces and nephews, Jensen, Karringtyn, Nixon, Heidi, Maverick, and Thomas; cousins, Jessica Zemonek (John), Michelle Long (Brandon), Erika Baker, Kimberly Baker, Jeffrey Jones, Erin Graves (Will), and Jared Hill (Kimberly Radford); mother-in-law and father-in-law, Jose Perez Sr. and Vicenta “Abuela”; brother-in-law, Danny Perez; sisters-in-law, Tara Perez and Leticia Perez; special friends, Tressi Brewster, her co-workers at Walgreens, her family at Sandy Bottom Baptist Church, and all the people who have prayed and been there for Kayla and her family.

A memorial service will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, September 10, 2022 at Howard-Carter Funeral Home in Kinston with Pastor Mike Dixon and Pastor Rick Mondell officiating.

Visitation will follow the service and will be other times at the home of her parents. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the scholarship fund that will be established for Ava-Jo and Natalie.