Obituary of Mary Elizabeth Hayden

On Sunday, November 4, 2018, Mary Elizabeth Hayden, loving wife and mother of one daughter, passed away at the age of 99. Mary was born on February 7, 1919, near Sigourney, Iowa to Ray and Zella (Forney) Richardson. 

She received her teaching certificate from UCLA in 1943. After teaching kindergarten and first grade for 38 years in California, Massachusetts, Indiana, and Oklahoma, she retired from the Jenks Public School System in 1981. She greatly enjoyed listening to children read and never quite stopped teaching. 

In 1951, she married the love of her life, Roy Edmund Hayden. Sixty-seven years later, Mary still found her anchor in him. She and Roy raised one daughter, Helen (Hayden) Scott.

Mary was a devoted wife and mother. She served God with her whole heart. She told everyone she met of her love for Him and His love for them. Mary frequently commented that she was fulfilled in knowing that all her family and grandchildren knew and loved God. Her house was always open to entertain friends and family. Quick with a joke and not one to take life too seriously, Mary was often singing and laughing. She would say, “Why don’t you sit and visit awhile?”

Mary was president of The Gideons International’s Oklahoma Auxiliary for three years. She accompanied her husband on numerous trips to Europe, the Middle East, and Korea. She also loved music. She was choir director for the Church of the Brethren in Indiana for three years and sang with her church choir in Tulsa for many years.

Mary was preceded in death by her step-father, Guy Fosdick, her mother, Zella, her brother, Don, and her sister, Helen. She is survived by her husband, Dr. Roy E. Hayden; a daughter, Helen Scott of St. Louis, MO; four grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.

A graveside service will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Thursday, November 8, at Floral Haven Memorial Gardens. A memorial service will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, November 10, at The Assembly in Broken Arrow.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be given to The Gideons International.