Carl Edward Hayden

Carl Edward Hayden, 87, of Fort Walton Beach, Fl passed away Tuesday, February 9, 2021 after complications from a recent stroke.

Carl was born in Shelbyville, Il then moved to a large farm owned by the Finks family that his father managed near Westervelt, Il. He attended Finley high school and got a job at Illinois Consolidated telephone company shortly after high school. Carl enlisted in the Air Force at Rantoul AFB and served in the Korean War in Okinawa from 1953-1957 where he was honorably discharged as a staff sergeant.

Carl met his wife, Elizabeth Anne when he was 22 and she was 17, on a double date in Panama City, Fl when he was just exiting the air force at Tyndall.

Carl and Anne moved to Mattoon, Il (where his eldest child was born), for a brief time, then settled down in Fort Walton Beach, Fl in 1960. They raised their 3 children in Fort Walton Beach where they lived together for 61 years.

Carl worked at Centel & Sprint telephone company from 1960-1999. He was very well liked by his coworkers and was the company go-to person to work on communications in the Fort Walton Beach area and Eglin AFB.

After retiring from Sprint in 1999, Carl continued working various jobs but landed as a security guard before permanently retiring. He was a very hard and diligent worker for his whole life.

Carl and his family attended First Baptist Church of Fort Walton Beach.

Carl is preceded in life by his son, Charles Edward "Ted" Hayden; his parents, Frank and Ersel Hayden and his siblings, Robert "Bob" Hayden, Eugene "Gene" Hayden and Shirley Stitt. He is survived by his wife, Elizabeth Anne Hayden; son, Rodney Hayden (wife Sarah) of Durham, NC, daughter, Jennifer Strickland (husband Russell) and grandchildren, Russell Weston II "Wes", Victoria Jayne "Tori" and Suzanne Layne "Suzi" Strickland of Cary, NC.

Due to the prevalence of Covid, and to protect his at-risk wife, Carl's family chose to celebrate his memory at home. Cremation services will be provided by Davis Watkins of Fort Walton Beach.

Please contact Carl's daughter, Jennifer via email at jennifer@thestricklandfamily.net for contact info on where to send cards, flowers, and well wishes.