Patrick E. Hayden

Patrick was born on July 15th, 1927 to his parents Patrick and Anna (Forster) in their apartment on Varick Street in the Hudson Square district of lower Manhattan. He was the youngest of three, his sister May and brother Jack, were eleven and nine years older. As a youngster, he would spend many of his summer weeks visiting his grandmother at her home in Midland Beach on Staten Island. He attended Saint Alphonsus Grammar School in SoHo and graduated from Cardinal Hayes High School in 1944. At Cardinal Hayes he played on the handball team and in 1944 he was the New York City doubles handball champion. He continued to play handball at the NYC Downtown Athletic Club into his late fifties. As a youth, he was also an avid baseball player, participating in various leagues in Manhattan. Stories were often told of his expertise on the field and he would often tease his sons-in-law and their friends that they “couldn’t carry his glove”.

The week prior to graduating high school he enlisted in the Navy. After serving in the Navy and being honorably discharged in 1946, he began working as a long shore-man on the docks of Manhattan.

As a teenager, he met a strawberry blond named June Forrest. Junie was the love of his life. They were married on September 19th, 1948 at St. Joseph’s Church in Greenwich Village, with a reception following at the Fifth Avenue Hotel on Washington Square Park. This began a marriage of love and devotion which became the example which his children and grandchildren would aspire to. As newlyweds, they lived in Manhattan, first on 57th Street and then on Morton Street in the West Village. In 1959 with their two young daughters Barbara and Diane, Junie and Pat moved to Castleton Corners on Staten Island, where their son Patrick was born two years later. He was a faithful parishioner of St. Teresa’s Church, a member of the Holy Name Society, and a St. Teresa’s baseball coach. He worked on the committee to develop and build the St. Teresa’s baseball field which is still used today.

In 1954 Pat joined the New York City Police Department. He loved being “on the job” and thoroughly enjoyed telling stories of walking the beat in Manhattan as a young Patrolman. Pat had a flair for telling a good story and his family loved to hear each adventure; his grandchildren particularly loved the story about the three babies he delivered. Pat was promoted to Detective starting in the First Precinct and then moving to the Stocks and Bond Squad on Wall Street. He received over 20 commendations, awards, and citations during his time with the NYC Police Department. After retiring from the NYPD in 1974, Pat began a second career as the Director of Security at Pershing and Company and then moved on to EVP and Director of Security at First Boston Corporation. Pat retired from corporate life in 1990.

Pat and Junie retired to Venice, Florida in 1990 where they enjoyed the beautiful weather for twenty-five years. Pat joined Jacaranda Golf Club where he worked on improving his game. He shot his age on a number of occasions and had the pleasure of being the club champion. They became parishioners of Our Lady of Lourdes Church and had traveled to Alaska and Europe with the church travel club. Pat, who always had an appreciation for good food and had liked cooking, began exploring new recipes and became the resident chef. Every Sunday he enjoyed making a special meal for Junie and her sister Babs. Their door was always open to visitors and their children, grandchildren, and friends visited often. They took each of their nine grandchildren on their own trip to Disney World, an amazing memory for each one of them!

In 2011, Pat and Junie returned to Staten Island, settling in Westerleigh, where he lived until his passing. Pat always had a great love for New York. He was an avid Yankee, Ranger, and Giant fan.

Pat’s greatest joy in life was his family and friends. Pat’s exhibited endless devotion to his family. As a police officer, he always worked a second job (taxi driver, toll collector, limo driver) to support his children’s education. He started a Long Beach Island tradition with his family decades ago that still continues today. Pat and Junie’s home was always filled with family, and friends, whom they always treated like family. Pat loved to entertain whether it was a small dinner or a large party. From planning the menu, to the shopping, to the cooking and preparation, he enjoyed every moment of it because he wanted others to enjoy themselves, to have fun, to eat, and to laugh! Pat and Junie spent endless hours traveling back and forth from Florida to attend Baptisms, First Communions, Confirmations, graduations, showers, weddings – they were there for everything and for all of us. Even after the heartbreak of losing his Junie in 2015 after 67 years of marriage, he still continued to make sure we were all together and we were enjoying ourselves. In recent years he would tell everyone he met about his sixteen great-grandchildren. He was so proud of the family he and Junie created. His children, grandchildren, great grandchildren, nieces and nephews, and friends have countless number of wonderful memories due to his love and dedication, and we are all so thankful for that.

Patrick is survived by his daughter Barbara Burns, and her husband Greg; his daughter Diane Pessolano; and his son Patrick Hayden and his wife Paula; his grandchildren, Brendan and Cindi Hayden, Carlyn and Chris Bale, Christine and Anthony DiChiaro, Marc and Stephanie Pessolano, Kieran Burns, Meghan and Jeff Leap, Craig and Brianna Pessolano, Siobhan and Dave Walsh, Robert and Adelle Pessolano and sixteen great grandchildren and many beloved nieces and nephews. His son-in-law Joseph Pessolano pre-deceased him in 2022.

A visitation for Patrick will be held Thursday, March 30, 2023, from 4:00 PM to 8:00 PM at Casey Funeral Home, 350 Slosson Ave, Staten Island, New York 10314. A Mass of Christian burial will occur Friday, March 31, 2023, at 10:45 AM at St. Teresa Church, 1634 Victory Blvd, Staten Island, New York 10314. A burial will occur Friday, March 31, 2023, at 12:00 PM at Moravian Cemetery, 2205 Richmond Rd, Staten Island, New York 10306.

In lieu of flowers, contributions in Patrick's memory may be made to Elizabeth Seton Children’s Center. https://setonchildrens.org/donate-now/.