Lynda E. Hayden

Mrs. Lynda E. Hayden, RNC, 63, of Stairs Road, Amsterdam, NY died peacefully on Monday, April 18, 2011 surrounded by her family following a courageous battle with Inflammatory Breast Cancer. Born on May 26, 1947 she was the daughter of the late Harry and Florence Andrews Drake. A lifelong area resident, Lynda graduated from Amsterdam High School and then went on to become a Registered Nurse graduating from the St. Mary's Hospital School of Nursing in 1968. Her care for others spanned a career of 35 years with St. Mary's Hospital until her retirement in 2008. Lynda was a proficient critical care nurse and she enjoyed mentoring others in this specialty. She was perceived as an expert and the "go to person" by her peers. She paved the way for St. Mary's in its development of the coronary care unit and she particularly liked taking care of cardiac patients. As an educator, Lynda was able to use her expertise to develop many nursing educational modules. She was instrumental in bringing and conducting BLS and ACLS courses on site. She also served as a clinical resource to the nursing department. She developed, reviewed and revised polices and procedures relative to the department of nursing. Lynda loved to teach and enjoyed sharing her knowledge through coordinating orientation programs for new nurses and ongoing educational programs for nursing staff. She also loved to travel and to shop in her spare time. Above all she loved spending time with her family. She will be sadly missed by all who knew her. Survivors include her husband of 37 years, James W. Hayden; three children, Marc Giaquinto Jennifer Warner, Melissa Curry and Matthew J. Hayden; one sister Susan McDermott and her husband Kevin; one grandson, Mekhi Curry; and one niece, Kelsey McDermott; and her best friend, Marilyn Jendrzejczak. Funeral services will be conducted on Thursday, April 21, 2011 at 10 o'clock at the Betz, Rossi & Bellinger Family Funeral Home, 171 Guy Park Avenue, Amsterdam. Interment will follow in the Hagaman Cemetery. Relatives and friends are invited and may call Wednesday evening from 4 until 7p.m. at the funeral home. Contributions in her name may be made to her daughter's team, "They're Real and They're Spectacular" Susan G. Koman for the Cure c/o James W. Hayden and brought to funeral home office.