Hayden D. McCasland

Hayden was born on June 3rd, 1944 (three days before D-Day), the third child of Hayden and Willa Mae McCasland. He grew up in Atoka and Stringtown, OK. His father was the warden at the state Honor Farm in Stringtown and his mother was a homemaker. He had three sisters, Alice, Nina and Sharon, and he graduated from Atoka High School in 1962 where he excelled at basketball and baseball.

After high school, Hayden enlisted in the Army and went to basic training in Fort Chafee, Arkansas. He then went to Fort Ord, CA for advanced infantry training. Afterwards, he was in the Oklahoma National Guard for eight years, attending meetings for the 180th infantry in Atoka and Norman.

In 1967, while attending the University of Oklahoma, Hayden went on a blind date with Jean Weir, an adventure neither of them wanted to go on. The date was in the ever-romantic setting of an OU/OSU wrestling match (before dinner). Love put a chokehold on the two and Hayden proposed in November 1967. They were married on March 30th, 1968, in Charlotte, North Carolina, Jean's hometown. They would remain in Norman for 56 years and have two children.

After college, Hayden took a job with Yeager Wholesale Company, Mass Merchandisers and McKesson Distribution Services, where he moved into management and won numerous awards. He retired from McKesson in 2001.

Hayden loved spending time with his family. From nature parks in North Carolina, to the beaches of Florida, to fishing trips in Hot Springs, Arkansas (where his dad retired), many adventures were had.

Some of Hayden's hobbies included reading history (he was an expert on the Civil War and WWII), genealogy (numerous bookshelves are filled with his family's history), and listening to music. Friday nights meant having a drink of whisky, grilling some steaks and spinning the greatest records from his impeccable collection. His kids were blessed with introductions to Tom Waits, John Prine, Neil Young, Bob Dylan and more. Taste is something that cannot be taught, and Hayden had the best.

Hayden was a die-hard Sooners fan. A season ticket holder, he attended OU football games for over 30 years. He also had a soft spot for rescue cats. Over the years, he and Jean rescued at least 25 cats, having them spayed, neutered, finding them forever homes, and, of course, keeping a few. Their last rescue was little Annie. After their previous rescues passed away, Jean found Annie in a trashcan, outside of their home. She proved to be an angel in disguise, as she brought a spark of youthful happiness to Hayden in the last days of his illness. In his words to Jean, "Cherish her. Love her. You need her now. You both need each other now more than ever."

Hayden is now visiting his sisters in the sky, with some Tom Waits playing on the stereo, a few fishing hooks in the water, and an OU game on the TV. He is survived by his loving wife Jean, his daughter Jennifer McCasland Binkley, her husband Andrew Binkley and his son Sam, his son Joseph McCasland and partner Casey Elliott, sister Roberta McCasland Bates, and relatives David, Jim, and Donna Presson, Syndy Campbell and husband Terry, Kristina Valentino and twin brother Nick Shokat, Fera Terrell, Justin Tharp, and too many others to name.

Hayden is now pain free and will shine down on us until we meet again. He would always say that someday he would go up to meet Ol' J.C. We can only imagine what that loving embrace was like.