Dick J. Hayden (2015)

BLOMQUIST, HAYDEN, RAFCHIEK

Posted By: Shirley Keating
Date: 6/11/2015 at 19:35:11

Wallin Funeral Home & Cremation
Oak Harbor, Washington
May 2015

Obituary for Dick Hayden

Dick J. Hayden, age 92, died May 28, 2015 at Regency on Whidbey Harbor Care. He was born November 13, 1922 in Peru, Iowa to Walter and Myrtle Hayden. Raised on the family farm, Dick was only 17 when he decided to “join the Navy and see the world.” He didn’t know then that he was beginning a U.S. Navy career that would last nearly 30 years.

A proud WWII Veteran, Dick was a plane mechanic aboard the USS Hornet aircraft carrier from her commission date to her sinking at the Battle of Santa Cruz in 1942. He watched Doolittle’s Raiders launch from Hornet on their historic bombing run to Japan. When the Hornet finally went down, Dick was the last man from his squadron to abandon ship. Years later, when asked about his favorite memory of his Navy service, he laughed and replied “getting fished out by a destroyer after jumping off of the Hornet!”

While stationed in San Diego in 1943, Dick met a pretty young lady, Jean Blomquist, at a USO dance. They were married in August 1944 and transferred to NAS Whidbey Island in 1948 on the first of three assignments to the Island. Over the years, Dick was assigned to various aviation squadrons and retired in 1968 at NAS Whidbey as Squadron Chief of VAH-123. Not one to sit back in retirement, Dick began a second 14-year career with the U.S. Postal Service in Oak Harbor, where he and Jean have now resided for over 50 years.

As a young man, Dick enjoyed hunting and fishing and playing team sports (volleyball, softball, basketball). Later in life he took up golfing, bowling and square dancing (with Jean). Golf, however, was his true passion and once retired, he was usually found at the local Gallery Golf Course. Dick was a Life Member of the Oak Harbor Elks Lodge #2362, and was also a member of the Disabled American Veterans and Fleet Reserve Association.

Dick is survived by his wife of 70 years, Jean Hayden of Oak Harbor; his daughter Sandra Rafchiek of Redmond, WA; his son Richard J. Hayden, Jr (Elizabeth) of Bellevue WA; and his brother Carroll (Kay) Hayden of St. Charles, Iowa. He is also survived by two grandchildren, Alexander and Anna Hayden; six step grandchildren and seven step great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his son Randle R. Hayden of Sammamish, WA.

Funeral services for Dick will be held at the graveside at Maple Leaf Cemetery on Saturday, June 13, 2015 at 1:00pm with Chaplain David G. Lura, USNR (Ret) officiating. Viewing will be held at Wallin Funeral Home from 9am to Noon. Following the graveside services, a reception for family and friends will follow at Wallin Funeral Home. Arrangements are entrusted to Wallin Funeral Home & Cremation, LLC, Oak Harbor, WA.

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