June 9, 1943 – April 1, 2026
Donald Dean Hayden, age 82, of Chillicothe, Illinois, and formerly of Greenup, Illinois, passed away peacefully at 7:28 AM – Wednesday, April 1, 2026, at OSF Saint Francis Medical Center in Peoria, Illinois, with his daughter Ashley by his side.
Funeral services will be held at 2:00 PM – Monday, April 6, 2026, at Meyer Funeral Home – Bishop Chapel in Greenup, Illinois. The burial will be in the Friends Grove Cemetery east of Toledo, Illinois. A visitation for family and friends will be held from 1:00 to 2:00 PM on Monday. A Celebration of Life will be held at 4:00 PM on Sunday, April 19, 2026, at the Bethel Memorial Church, 201 South Main Street, Creve Coeur, Illinois. The obituary can be viewed and condolences left at www.meyerfh.com.
Donald Dean, better known, to his family and friends as “Dean” was born on June 9, 1943, in Effingham, Illinois, the son of Donald Albert and Patricia L. (Sowers) Hayden, and grew up on the family farm just outside Greenup, where he learned to drive a tractor at an early age.
Dean is survived by his brother, Jimmy (June) Hayden of Greenup, Illinois; his daughters, Ashley (Tim) Phillips of Bartonville, Illinois, Patti Hayden of Bartonville, Illinois, and Pam (Kurt Biedenharn) Hayden of Minier, Illinois; two grandchildren, Deakyn Vance and Mason Vance, of Bartonville, Illinois; one niece, Carissa (Jason) Chapa, and one great niece, Avacyn Chapa, of McAllen, Texas; his “adopted” daughters, Cindy (John) Jernigan of Greenville, Illinois, and Jackie (Allen) Jacobs of Collinsville, Illinois; his partner in crime, Ron Kramer; his tractor show buddy, Gene Bridgette; and his bestest friend, Debbie Mudd. He also leaves behind countless other family and friends that will miss him dearly.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Pat and Don Hayden, and his life partner, Marcia McCarter.
Dean dedicated nearly 40 years of his career as a welding engineer with Komatsu, a role that allowed him to travel the world. He had a deep appreciation for craftsmanship and took great pride in his work. Outside of his career, Dean loved attending tractor and steam engine shows and spending time fly fishing—simple joys that brought him great happiness. He was also an avid gun collector and enjoyed target shooting, especially the times he dragged Ashley along to teach her the ways. He also enjoyed blacksmithing and wood turning on his lathe.
Above all, Dean cherished his family. He especially loved spending time with his grandchildren, passing down life lessons and teaching them about welding, tractors, and the value of hard work. Those moments will be remembered and carried on for generations.
Dean will be remembered for his strong work ethic, his love of travel and the outdoors, and most importantly, his dedication to his family. He leaves behind a legacy of well-taught lessons, a few perfectly welded pieces, plenty of good stories, and just enough stubbornness to keep things interesting.
