Marilyn Hayden

Marilyn Jane Hayden passed away September 3, 2024, at age 93 at Windsong at Northridge in Greeley, CO. She is now singing on her beautiful fluffy cloud with her favorite songbirds and if you listen carefully, you can hear them now.

Marilyn was born May 13, 1931, in Spencer, IA on the family farm. She was the youngest of seven children. At a young age while learning how to cook, her mother Margaret (Tlam) Ketcham taught Marilyn the secret to light and flaky pie crusts that were filled with the fresh fruits and berries that grew on the farm. These pie secrets that were passed down from previous generations were the reasons that the family has had a long-standing love for pie.

Growing up on the farm was hard work but she found fun with her little pomeranian, Peggy and her copper-colored quarter horse, Penny that she rode to the country schoolhouse. Her least favorite chore was tending to the chickens. The old hens would attack and peck her when she would collect their eggs. She was able to outsmart the hens by moving them off of their nests with a long stick while holding their heads down so she could reach the eggs unscathed.  

She attended Spencer High School where she excelled in theater class, played on the basketball team and sang in several choral groups. Even in high school she was a sought-after vocalist for weddings and funerals, and she would play the piano.Working several jobs and saving her earnings she was able to be the first child in her family to go to a University. She studied the fine arts and theater at Drake University in Des Moines, IA. As fate would have it this is where she met the man of her dreams, Leonard Hayden. 

Her talents were recognized as well as her beauty as she starred in the campus theatre production of Arsenic and Old Lace, and she was voted Miss Drake Relay. The Drake track and field relays were national events in which she served as the University Ambassador as part of her responsibilities. After graduating from Drake with a BFA she and Leonard eloped to Coeur D'alene, ID and they honeymooned in Banff and Jasper National Parks. While Leonard was pursuing his degree in Law, Marilyn continued working in her many varied professions. She was a switchboard operator, a fashion consultant for Nordstrom's, she was the first female car salesperson in Des Moines, she wrote for a local radio station in Des Moines and had her own radio show, Ketch's Korner. She modeled and recorded an album. A friend sent the album to the Metropolitan Opera in NYC, and she was invited to audition. She declined the offer to audition because she was married and wanted to start a family.

The desire to have a family came true when daughter Lynn Marie was born and two years later, son Colby Jay and then two years after that Finley Arthur was born thus completing the family. Marilyn took time off from working to raise the children. Leonard's work moved the family from IA to CO to MN and finally back to CO.

Marilyn wasn't about to settle for being a housewife, she had the desire and drive to contribute to the world through work and volunteering fueling her independence. She was active in the choir at Arvada Presbyterian church and started the youth choir program. She wanted to be able to interact with the children while singing so she learned how to play the guitar. She created the character of Mrs. Music to lead the youth in the singing of joyful music. She encouraged peace and love through her musical direction during the troubled times of the 1960's. Her music was not traditional church hymns but the uplifting hope filled music of the folk singers and groups current with the times. She believed in equality and women's rights and was encouraged by Shirley Chisolm Black running for the Presidency.

While living in Edina, MN Marilyn had the privilege to work for Anita Beck, a renowned greeting card artist and designer. Marilyn managed Anita's artist and crafters Co-op, Reindeer House. After moving back to CO Marilyn's management skills were utilized by managing several women's clothing stores and serving as Regional Manager for Catherine's women's clothing. Her final occupation was with Dr. Yamasaki as his office manager. 

Once retired Marilyn and Leonard hit the roads traveling to the South and through the Western US. They vacationed in Alaska, Hawaii, Jamaica and had fun travel adventures with the grandchildren. The annual ski trips at their condo in Dillon, CO were always highly anticipated. 

As a volunteer in the neonatal unit at Lutheran Hospital she learned of the travelling physicians' program and she and Lynn went on a trip to Africa and Marilyn was so enthralled by this continent she went back for a second trip.

Once the urge to travel waned Marilyn joined the Arvada Choir where she shined as a tenor. She loved singing and performing for the many different senior living communities, seeing people's faces light up when they heard a familiar song. She too became a resident of an assisted living community, Nightingale Suites in Arvada. It was at Nightingale that Marilyn rediscovered her talent and passion for drawing and painting. The many hours devoted to her artwork helped her cope with the isolation and quarantine during the Covid pandemic. It was during the pandemic on July 7,2022 that Leonard, her beloved husband passed away. 

Later Marilyn had a fall and a subsequent hip surgery that required that she live in a memory care community. Marilyn moved to Windsong at Northridge in Greeley, CO where Lynn worked and was able to oversee her care. The care team at Nightingale Suites and Windsong were loved by Marilyn. It was the earth angels of Bristol Hospice who provided the compassionate transitional care that comforted Marilyn as she sought that final moment of peace.

Marilyn is survived by her daughter Lynn Hayden-Ugarte and husband, Andrew Daigle. Lynn's son Vincent Ugarte and significant other Hannah Jannsen and bonus daughter Monica Treta and husband Tom and their children Thomas and Marlee and bonus daughter Rene Ugarte. Son Colby Hayden and wife Kathe' Hayden and their children William Hayden, Taylor Kuehn and her husband Nick Kuehn and Jenna Hayden. Son Finley Hayden and sons Liam and Brody Hayden.

Marilyn is preceded in passing by her parents Elmer and Margaret (Tlam) Ketcham, siblings Darrel, Marge, Wally, Ted, Harriet and Bernard. Her husband Leonard Hayden and son-in-law Jim Ugarte and daughter-in-law Lisa Hayden.

Marilyn's Celebration of Life will be held September 12th at 11:00a at Aspen Mortuary, 6370 Union Street, Arvada, CO.

Interment will be at 1:00p at Arvada Cemetery, 5581 Independence St. Arvada, CO Picnic at 2:00p at Majestic View Park, 8880 W. 72nd Ave. Arvada, CO

Bring comfortable clothes for the park and your eating pants because there will be pie!