Obituary of John F. Hayden
John F. Hayden, age 94, of Lee Center, passed away on Saturday, December 23, 2023, at the Wynn Hospital, with family by his side.
John was born in Troy, New York on August 7, 1929 to the late Francis and Mary Carroll Hayden. On February 25, 1957, he was united in marriage to the former Carmen Moreno Civantos, at St. John the Baptist Church in Madrid, Spain.
He enlisted in the US Navy during World War II. He served in the Solomon Islands, and was later assigned to NAS Atlantic City, as a radio operator in a PBY4 aircraft. At the end of his tour, he served on the USS Roosevelt, working on radar systems. He was discharged in 1949. After receiving certification in Aeronautical Engineering at the Capitol Engineering Institute in Washington, DC, he worked in the flight simulator division at Link Aviation in Binghamton, NY. His civilian career spanned decades, working on numerous aviation, aeronautical, aerospace, and computer development projects, including the Apollo One project at NASA. He completed his career at RADC - Griffiss AFB, from which he retired in 1987.
He enjoyed flying airplanes, especially his Piper Cub. He was an accomplished bowler, playing weekly in a league with close friends. His home remodeling skills and “Mr. Fixit” expertise became part of the family lore.
A proud Syracuse University graduate, he rarely missed a game, even up to the day before his passing. In recent years, his greatest joys were time spent with his family, especially his grandson Garrett, as well as summer evenings at the Lake Delta Yacht Club, with his wife and their circle of friends.
A member of St Joseph’s Parish, he received the Diocesan Immaculata Award in 2022, awarded to parishioners who exemplify the spirit of volunteerism and service in the Catholic community.
John is survived by his loving wife of 66 years, Carmen; sons, John Hayden of Memphis, TN, and Michael Hayden of Rome; daughters, Emily (Michael) McDowell of Acton, MA, Caroline Hayden of Rochester, NH, Carmen (Joseph) Pierpont of Mt. Pleasant, SC, and Pamela Hayden of Clinton, NY; grandchildren, Hayden, Carmen Alicia, Allison, Julia, Ryan, and Garrett; great grandchildren, Madelyn, Carmen Claire, Hazel, Paxton, and Halle; and many nieces, nephews, and extended family, both in the Troy, NY area, as well as in Spain. He was predeceased by his sisters, Shirley Anderson and Kathleen Brundige.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Saturday, December 30, at 11 AM, at St. Joseph's Church. Burial will be in Saratoga National Cemetery in the summer of 2024.
Relatives and friends may call at the Barry Funeral Home, 807 W. Chestnut Street, on Friday December 29th, from 5 to 7 PM.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.