Joseph Noah Hayden Sr.

Joseph Noah Hayden Sr., “Joe, Daddy, Dad, Grampy or Great Grampy” passed away peacefully on Sunday April 19th, 2015 in the early morning, he was 92. He was assured he was loved by all of his children, grandchildren, siblings, extended family members and friends before he passed. Joe had been battling with cancer since this fall but had lived independently at his home as he wished until near the end. He was at the home of his daughter Karen, who cared for him in his final weeks when he surccumbed to his battle with cancer peacefully and without pain with her at his side.

Born on January 22nd, 1923 to Richard and Marion (Demo) Hayden in Skowhegan, ME. Joe spent his life caring and providing for those he loved, helping friends and even brief acquaintances in need who soon became his friend. He attended school until the eighth grade when he began his lifelong hobby: work. Joe was alway busy “puttering” as he put it, at something; whether it be leading the cattle to water at the trough through the snow drift tunnel he and his siblings had dug, going with his mother in the sleigh to deliver eggs and butter from Cornville to Skowhegan, picking beans, or shoveling gravel for the road department. He did not look at it as work - but as being busy - which made him happy. Right to the end he would say, “I like to be busy doing things, I don’t like just sitting around.” One the few times he could be found sitting was when he was playing cards or dice with Dot (Dorothy Garrett, now deceased) his companion of the past 25 years and his sisters. It was here he often practiced his second hobby which apparently he had been doing for a very long time - teasing his sisters.

He married Theresa Emilienne (Gallant) on October 4th, 1952 at Notre Dame De Lourdes in Skowhegan. Joe and Theresa bought a small farm on the Lakewood Road in Madison in 1956. There they raised their family, teaching them all the value of hard work, honesty, and caring for others. Theresa passed away April 27th, 1981. Joe always had animals and farmed along with working full time for over forty years at Agway in Skowhegan, originally known as Eastern States. He continued his education when his family was young, getting his GED and training as an accountant and also as an EMT. He used these and other skills to hold the many part-time jobs needed to support his family. From delivering grain to farmers, working at sales, accounting and inventory at Agway, to picking apples, working on ambulance crews or nights at the corner store - Joe was known as hard working, reliable, knowledgeable, trustworthy and friendly. He and Theresa worked together on the farm caring for their children and making ends meet by selling fresh baked bread and baked beans, growing pumpkins/squash to sell, and selling milk and eggs.

In his retirement years he continued to keep busy, helping all of his children in building or the remodeling projects in their homes, and also gardening and “keeping his place up” as he would put it. He built many fine pieces of furniture in his woodworking shop, which he gave to family and on occasion sold - hardly covering the cost of materials saying “It’s a fair price for what people can afford.”Joe loved to dance - the “two step” in particular - and would travel to the Rumford/Dixfield area to attend dances, where according to rumor he was thought to be quite the catch. It was there he met his companion of the next 25 years one Dot (Dorothy) Garrett. Together they liked to go dancing or play highly competitive games of cards or dice - which neither of them ever “lost” but only allowed the other to win! Joe would stop his puttering for one other very special thing: family events -especially his grandchildren’s birthdays, recitals, games, matches, and meets. Joe never missed the chance to wish them another year of happiness or watch them perform or compete and let them know he was proud of them and that he was their biggest fan.

Joe had five children: Patricia Marie (died at birth), Karen (Hayden) Dunn and her husband Gerald Dunn of Skowhegan, Joseph Hayden Jr. and his wife Kathy of Madison, Allen Hayden and his wife Annette of Bangor, and Gregory Hayden and his wife Karen of Skowhegan. He is also survived by 10 grandchildren and 4 great grandchildren:

Tyler Dunn and his wife Adrienne, their children Lillian and Madeline, Ashley (Hayden) Rand and her husband Cam, their children Brayden and Norah, Russell Dunn, Alissa Hayden, Jessica Hayden, Matthew Dunn and his wife Amy, Theresa Hayden, Alec Hayden, Joseph Hayden III and Christopher Hayden. He had two brothers and four sisters. His sister Dorothy and brother Richard both died soon after childbirth, and sister Ethel (Hayden) McQuilkin is now deceased. Surviving are: Arline (Hayden) Johnson, Carlton Hayden, and Pauline (Hayden) Coro all of Madison.

The family would like to extend their overwhelming gratitude to the Hospice Care providers that made Dad’s last few weeks as comfortable and pleasant as possible. This is a wonderful organization of caring professionals that we would not have been able to do without.

In lieu of flowers please make a donation in his name to:

Maine General Home Care & Hospice, 10 Water St, Waterville, ME 04901

You are greatly loved and missed.

Visiting hours will be held at Smart & Edwards Funeral Home, 183 Madison Ave., Skowhegan on Friday, April 24th from 6:00 to 8:00 pm.

Mass of Christian burial will be held at Notre Dame de Lourdes Catholic Church in Skowhegan at 10:00 AM with a gathering and refreshments in the school basement following services. www.smartandedwardsfh.com