san clementean
he would buy a bench for the park. “Carol took the ball and ran with it,” he
laughed. She rallied their children, who surprised
Bob with his coveted park bench. In return, on their 30th anniversary Bob bought a bench in Carol’s name. The park now has two comfort- able benches by the playground. The couple also bought tiles to help the
Bob at 19 in Long Beach. Bob, middle, on Mt. Whitney 1943.
improvement project at the pier bowl, fund the library’s recent renovations and construct Courtney’s Sand Castle. If you visit this park, look for several tiles with the Hayden’s family names. And when the San Clemente Senior Center began raising funds for a new facility, the Haydens were among the first to con- tribute. They helped fund its computer room and belong to the Century Club. The San Clemente Dons were created to
bring together seasoned community leaders and businessmen to give support to the city and civic organizations, and were Nixon’s hosts when he was in town. Membership is awarded for dedication and service to the community. Bob joined the organization in 1982 and served as Master Don for 1987-‘88. Carol and Bob have been Silver Circle
donors to the Boys and Girls Club for many years, supporters of Family Assistance Min- istries and continuing patrons of Friends of the Library. And The Foundation for His Ministry, a local charity now celebrating its 50th year,
Oregon State College, 1943.
sion for 1956-‘57. He was on the San Clemente Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors from 1960-‘63 and was brought back into service from 1988-‘91. And in 1992 when Assistant City Manager Pall Gudgirreson dis- covered that San Clemente lacked revenue to cover expenses, he created the City of San Clemente Blue Ribbon Committee to develop a revenue shortfall contingency plan. He wanted to involve residents who were experi- enced enough to create a realistic solution and
Hayden enlisted in November, 1942.
well-known enough to be credible. Bob was chosen to help this effort. If Bob has been generous with his time and
abilities, he and his wife, Carol, have matched that generosity with their fiscal donations. Some donations have been offered when they saw a need and filled it. One such need was dis- covered when Bob took a granddaughter to Linda Lane Park. Looking around for a place to sit, he discovered there was none. He told Carol that when he got a little money together
runs orphanages and a home for the disabled in Mexico, sharing top billing on their dona- tion list. All these dates and accomplishments have
made Bob’s life rewarding and productive. But the most important date on his lifeline is Oc- tober 15, 1977 when he and Carol Jean Litch- field became husband and wife. Bob called it, “the date my personal life really took off.” Carol moved to San Clemente in 1975
after her children were in college and she felt free to retire from Jet Propulsion Lab. She went to work at Conrad Realty and met Bob soon after. Their blended family grew to five chil- dren, six grandchildren and three great-grand- children, one of whom was born in April of this year.
Early in their marriage they joined the
George M. Cohan Chapter of the Segerstrom Center for the Arts, one of the few citizen sup- ported performing art centers in the nation. Bob took a turn or two as treasurer and Carol served as chapter president for two terms. “We have enjoyed a very busy life, includ-
ing some interesting adventures,” Bob re- ported. One of their first sojourns took them to Germany and France, covering the ground Bob had driven during WWII. Other travels have taken them all around the world. But probably their most fun and memorable adven- ture was the cruise to Mexico they hosted for their entire family.
Bob, right with Bill and Joan Ray at his 95th Birthday Party. SANCLEMENTEJOURNAL 27
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