Dennis Dwight Hayden

Dennis was born in Tustin on Dec 26, 1925, the second son of Dwight and Esther Cleary Hayden. He grew up raising bees, selling prize-winning honey, working in orange groves, and hunting in the hills. Dennis made lifelong friends, and with his great memory, never seemed to forget a face or a story. He had an endless supply of stories that he shared with his family throughout the years, and a sense of humor that did not diminish as he faced the health issues he's had for the last few years.

Dennis enlisted in the Navy at the age of 17, quitting high school to serve his country. He served in the Pacific arena for 3 1/2 years, after which he attended the University of Redlands, where he met his wife of 72 years, Lois Ann Scharpenberg. They married in 1950, and after attending UCLA Law School, he passed the bar exam and served as City Attorney of Tustin for over 3 years. He opened his own law practice in 1955, retiring in 2020. Over the years he freely offered help to many friends and acquaintances with their legal issues.

Dennis is survived by his wife Lois and leaves four children: Mark Hayden (and wife Nadja), Ann Jessup, Jean Harrison (and husband Jim), and Nancy McGee (and husband Rodney); and nine grandchildren: Chris, Kim, Christina, Michael, Julie, Kristen, Andrew, Brett and Brooke.

Denny loved his hunting and fishing trips, playing tennis, and was an active outdoorsman and sportsman all his life. Some of our best family memories are the trips to La Grulla every summer for over 20 years.

Dennis was a fair and honorable man who treated everyone with dignity and respect. He had many many friends who will miss him greatly. He was knowledgeable in so many areas. His family and friends could always turn to him for help and advice. He taught his children how to live with character and compassion, enjoy the outdoors, and how to age with grace and good humor. His family and friends will miss his quick wit and humor, his twinkling smile, and his presence in their lives. May his legacy live on through the lives he touched ~

Celebration of Life will be held August 27th. Please contact the family for details.

Donations in his memory may be made to St. Joseph Hospital, Orange, CA.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.fairhavenmemorial.com for the Hayden family.