Hayden, Dr. Ada

FAIRCHILD, FITZGERALD, HAYDEN, SHEARER

Posted By: Jerry Hale (email)
Date: 9/28/2010 at 22:13:48

Ames Daily Tribune
Ames, Iowa, Monday, August 14, 1950

Funeral This Afternoon for Dr. Ada Hayden

Dr. Ada Hayden, Assistant Pro[fessor] at Iowa State, Reports of her scien. . . . College for many years, died on Saturday afternoon in Mary Greeley Hospital after a prolonged illness. Funeral services were held this afternoon at 4 p.m. in the Congregational Church and burial was in the Ames Municipal cemetery. Dr. Hayden had concerned herself with the study of prairie grasses and she was an ardent member of the Conservation Commission at the time of her death as well as curator of the herbarium at Iowa State. Reports of her scientific research in the botanical field have been published from time to time and she was well-known and highly respected in her field of activity through the country. Her early work was closely associated with Dr. Pammel who pioneered in the botanical field in this area and was a prominent member of the faculty of Iowa State college. Dr. Hayden was the fourth Doctorate and the first woman to receive this degree from Iowa State College. She was very active in alumni affairs both as secretary of the class of 1908 and as an officer of the 25-year club. She was an active member of the following societies: Botanical Society of America, American Association for the Advancement of Science, American Society of Plant Taxonomisis, Ecological Society of America, Ecologists Union, Sullirant Moss Society, Grassland Research Foundation, American Association of University Professors, Sigma Delta Epsilon (Pres. '30-32). American Society Range Management, Iowa Academy of Science. She also was a member of Phi Kappa Phi, Gamma Sigma Delta, Sigma XI, honorary societies, and of Alpha Delta Pi sorority. Her friends and associates say that the outstanding characteristic of Dr. Hayden's life and career was her unusual devotion to duty and her loyalty to her friends. A sparkling sense of humor endeared her to her associates. She had the power to discern talent in her students and was an inspiration to them in shaping their careers. Her grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. Robert Bruce Shearer were early pioneers in Story county as were her parents. Mr. and Mrs. D. M. Hayden. Her only living relatives are cousins Hermione Shearer, J. David Shearer, Alan M. Shearer, Jonathan M. Shearer all of Minneapolis; Mrs. I. D. Fairchild, Mr. R. B. Shearer of Lutkin, Texas, Mabel Shearer of St. Louis, Mo., Persis Shearer of Dallas and Dr. Hutton A. Shearer of Houston, Texas. Mrs. Monroe Fitzgerald, Dr. Ammon R. Shearer of Barber's Hill, Texas.