Thomas Robert Hayden

In Memoriam, Thomas Robert Hayden

September 5, 1932 – February 29, 2024

Thomas Robert Hayden of Mineola passed away peacefully on February 29, 2024 at the age of 91.

Tommy was born on September 5, 1932 in Flushing, NY, the only child of Catherine and Thomas Hayden. He attended St. Mary’s Elementary School and Flushing High School where he was an exceptional baseball player, a sport he loved throughout his life. After graduation, he enlisted in the US Army and proudly served his country in Germany and France. When he returned to the states, Tommy began his life-long career as an elevator mechanic for Westinghouse, working in Manhattan where he took the train daily from Long Island. He travelled all around Manhattan Island and later in his career, was assigned to the Federal Reserve Bank in lower Manhattan.

In 1957, while at a dance, he met Elizabeth Joan Fitzpatrick and the two were married later that year. Tommy and “Joan” went on to have five daughters. They raised their family in New Hyde Park, NY, where Tommy was a member of Knights of Columbus and Ancient Order of Hibernians. A proud Irishman, he could often be seen marching in a parade or singing an Irish hit to an enthusiastic crowd. He spent weekends taking his family to Jones Beach or just hanging around the backyard barbecuing and listening to Irish music. He loved the mountains and took several family trips to the Catskills, sharing his joy of the natural beauty. He was a very faithful Catholic, raising his children to follow a Christian life and serve the Lord.

Tommy retired in 1995 and lived a very active life. He traveled to all the great baseball parks, took many trips to Ireland, walked the boardwalk at Jones Beach daily, took bus trips to Atlantic City and watched his NY Yankees and Jets. Tommy had lots of friends and a fun personality – often telling jokes and stories, and was known for a feistiness that earned him the beloved nickname “Fightin’ Tom”. He was a member of Golden Age Club of Mineola for over 20 years….during which he served as Vice President and ran the monthly visits to local hospitals and nursing homes where he would sing, earning him an Annual Honoree Award on Senior Citizen Recognition Day by the Town of North Hempstead in 2015. He attended Mass seven days a week at St. Aiden’s or Corpus Christi Catholic Church where he weekly lit candles for each of his family members.

Tommy is survived by his children, Elizabeth (Frank) Bourne, Catherine (Philip) Tirino, Maureen Hayden, Maryann (Michael) Powderly and Joan Hayden, 13 grandchildren - Jake and Frankie Bourne, Christopher and Ryan Butz, Philip Tirino, John Condon, Kaitlin Oliveri, Sean, Matthew and Brian Powderly, Kyle, Justin and Marisa Vanasco and 9 great-grandchildren.

A Funeral Mass will be held at 10:30am at Corpus Christi Catholic Church, 155 Garfield Ave. in Mineola, NY on Friday, March 8, 2024 followed by burial at Holy Rood Cemetery in Westbury, NY.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Tommy’s name to The Gladiator Fund at www.gladiatorfund.org

RIP “Fightin’ Tom”….you will be missed.