DL Capt. Stanley Samuel Hayden Jr.

 *Plz see news article below.....Captain Hayden first joined Northeast Airlines.

~ IN MEMORY ~

NEA/DL Capt. Stanley Samuel Hayden Jr.

November 24, 1944 ~ August 26, 2023

 

From friends and family we have learned of the passing of Delta Golden Wings member retired Delta Air Lines pilot Captain Stanley “Stan” Samuel Hayden Jr., age 78.  Stan joined Delta Air Lines 03-06-1967 and was based ATL/030.  He is survived by his wife retired Delta Air Lines F/A Rebecca “Becki” Ford Hayden.

Condolences may be sent to the Hayden family at

 85261 Old Highway, Islamorada, FL 33036

As our information is limited, please look for updates to follow should they be received.

Thank you,

~ Carol for the PCN 

.............................................  

https://www.keysnews.com/obituaries/stanley-samuel-hayden-jr/article_6896f6e9-e301-575e-9a7a-3900313167a1.html

 *Stanley Samuel Hayden Jr.

1944-2023, age 78

Oh Captain, My Captain, your journey has come to an end. Your life was filled with stories that only a captain could have.

Stanley, or “Lee” to his longtime friends, and Tan Tan to his grandkids, grew up in Miami, Florida. He attended a private high school and, upon graduation, went to college in Wisconsin. He left college to pursue a career in aviation. Lee’s passion for flying was unrivaled, and in 1967 he started his career with Northeast, which merged with Delta Airlines in 1972. He was blessed to have a lifetime career filled with new places, new people and new things to discover.

He was a legend at Delta Airlines and his reputation preceded him. On the flight deck he was a consummate aviator and employee, but once his duties were discharged, he would trade in his captain’s hat for a vintage aviator’s cap and a kamikaze scarf. He donned other hats as well, including a Sherlock Holmes cap, a pith helmet, and even a tea hat for the Kentucky Derby. He was bold and people loved him for it.

He made lifelong friendships in and out of the cockpit. His sense of humor was legendary  and contagious. He had many tales to share of places he’d explored and people he’d met, and he didn’t shy away from poking fun at himself or others which made for wonderful stories. Lee had a heart for poetry and would recite his favorites with such poise that many a man could be seen wiping a tear. He never spent a moment in theatre, but he carried a spotlight wherever he went. He was a man of wonderful passion, bigger than life itself.

When Lee was not captain in the air, he was captain of his boat. His time off was spent in his beloved keys on his Willy Roberts flats boat, always trying to catch that darned elusive bonefish. He knew the flats around Islamorada clear to Flamingo like the back of his hand.

For Lee, life was quieter and peaceful on the water. It was his Sunday service.

Lee was an amazing home chef. His motto was if you want to eat well, you have to know how to cook well. He treated his friends and loved ones to many a fine meal as those who were lucky enough to share his table would attest. Besides fine food, he was a connoisseur of cigars, wine, Irish whiskey, and a lover of McChrystal’s snuff. And if you’d spent any time around Lee, you’d know what McChrystal’s is.

Tan Tan met his match and married Becki on Oct. 30, 1995 in the Keys under the big oak tree behind his house. Together they made a life filled with travel and cruising. They visited places and ports that people only dream of. They enjoyed playing cards and rooting for University of Tennessee’s football team, which was his wife Becki’s alma mater (“Go Vols!”). They spent countless hours boating and enjoying the sandbar in the back yard. He adored Becki to his last breath. His life was complete because of her.

Lee was married previously and had a daughter, Mindy, and a son, Skip. He gave his children a lifetime of memories filled with fishing, travel and epic parties, but most importantly a love for quiet reflection on the water.

He loved life, his family and his friends and was loved in return. He will be missed.