Dorothy Hayden

Dorothy Hayden passed away peacefully, happily, and with family by her side this past June 4^th. She was born Dorothy Fannie Trayan, September 10^th, 1926, in Cleveland, Ohio. She was the only child of Irakli Trayan and Chrysanthy Hagipapas Trayan, first generation immigrants from the Balkans. Her mentor was her grandmother Fannie from Albania.  Dorothy was very proud of her heritage. As a child growing up in Lakewood, Ohio, Dorothy loved the outdoors, swimming, and ice skating at her aunt and uncle’s home in nearby Avon Lake. Following her graduation from Lakewood High School, Dorothy attended and graduated in 1948 with a BA in Sociology from Ohio Wesleyan University, where she was a member of the Alpha Gamma Delta Sorority. 

Dorothy met David Hayden in 1946 at the YMCA resort Silver Bay, on Lake George in New York, where they both had summer college jobs. After they married in 1948, they moved to Amherst, Massachusetts where David completed his undergraduate degree. They then moved to Tucson, Arizona where David attended graduate school at the University of Arizona. Shortly thereafter they relocated to Jacksonville, Florida, where David assumed a position as a Navy Entomologist in 1952. As Dorothy wanted to live on the water, as it reminded of her childhood days of swimming and skating on Lake Erie, she and David moved in 1960 to the “then small” community of Orange Park, Florida. There, along River Road, they raised their four children and shared a life together till David’s passing in 2012.

As a young woman Dorothy admired Eleanor Roosevelt, and supported equal rights for all, in a time when it was not always fashionable to do so. She was a fervent believer that a sound liberal arts education contributed greatly to a sound human being. Dorothy was dedicated to the field of education, teaching at both Bryan Jennings, and Green Cove Elementary, as well as serving as past President of the Retired Clay County Educators. 

Dorothy was a serious and avid Bridge player. She was also a voracious reader and acquisitor of knowledge. She thoroughly enjoyed in-depth discussions of history, politics, science, religion, and life. Dorothy often spent hours on her front porch, reading, reflecting, and reminiscing, as she gazed over the wide waters of the St. Johns. Continually living in the same home where she raised her children, Dorothy never tired of the “Old Florida” panorama at her front doorstep, virtually unchanged during her sixty-four years of residence. 

Dorothy is survived by her four children; sons Bruce and Dana Hayden (Gina); daughters Christine Hicks and Sarah Clinton (David); five grandchildren, eight great grandchildren, and her good friend and roommate of many years, Squash the Cat. As a longtime member of the Orange Park Presbyterian Church, a celebration of Dorothy’s life will be held 11:00 AM, Saturday June 22^nd at the Orange Park Presbyterian Church. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to the Orange Park Presbyterian Church of Orange Park, Florida.