Published on October 19, 2026 1:46 pm
Last Updated on October 19, 2026 1:46 pm
Carolyn Hayden, age 83, died peacefully Saturday afternoon, October 17, 2026, at Willow Breeze, the Sarah Bush Lincoln Hospice House, after battling HNCA.
Per Carolyn wishes, cremation rites have been accorded. A Celebration of Life will be held at a later date. The Barkley Funeral Chapel Greenup is assisting the family.
Carolyn was born December 16, 1942, to Lowell E. “Doc” and Nellie Berry Massie of Toledo, IL. She was one of four children, and is predeceased by her dear, spirited sister Linda as well as her kind and giving sister-in-law Modena and is survived by her brother Curtis and sister Margaret and husband Phil Kellogg.
She married her childhood sweetheart Richard “Dick” C. Hayden who passed away in December 2025. On September 1, 2026, Carolyn and Dick would have been married for sixty-three years, celebrating their honeymoon at the Rose Bowl of 1964, a wedding gift from Dick’s parents Helen and Dick Hayden, when the Illini won against Washington.
They have surviving children: Beth Hayden and her husband Jay, and John Hayden and his wife Vickie, and grandchildren Mitchell and his sister Claire, children of Jill Hortenstine, and John’s second son William.
Carolyn began her career as an accomplished special education teacher and then taught third grade and kindergarten for many years in the Neoga school system. She was a beloved teacher who enabled children of all learning abilities to thrive to be their best selves. It is not unusual to still bump into her students who rave about her creativity, kindness and positive influence in their lives, even at such a young age. Carolyn was known to march to her own drum, she was both interested and interesting and deeply saw other humans especially those in marginalized communities. She did not “do machines” and never once visited an app, a website, or social networking site as a proof point of her independent thinking and guileness, and a wisdom beyond most about being present and engaged in this life.
Carolyn and Dick enjoyed spending time with family, reading, running, hiking, walking, traveling, and having long conversations over coffee about books and news. Together, they wrote a weekly column titled “Channeling Helen” for the Toledo Democrat time traveling between vivid stories about Cumberland County in their early days and today’s stories about family and practical issues of our lives. They were also very proud of finishing the Chicago Marathon eleven times, respectively, with Carolyn as the first to run the race and Dick ensuring he caught up as the last to complete the 26.2-mile course.
In lieu of flowers, Carolyn’s family suggests memorials to the following organizations:
SBL Hospice: 700 W Lincoln Ave. Suite 100 Charleston, IL 61920 (Please put Willow Breeze and Carolyns name on Memo line of your checks) or online at https://www.sarahbush.org/about/donate-volunteer/
Doctors without Borders: P.O. Box 5030 Hagerstown, MD 21741-5030 or online at https://give.doctorswithoutborders.org
Friends of WILL: by mailing a check made payable to “Friends of Will” to the founders: Schupler Family 174 Mary Smith Hill Rd. Lew Beach, NY 12758