Joseph G. Hayden Sr.

Joseph G. Hayden Sr., 89, of Sharpsville, Mercer County, passed away Friday at Sharon Regional Health System.

Mr. Hayden was born June 15, 1926, in Monessen, Westmoreland County, a son of the late Thomas M. Hayden Jr. and Media A. Harvey Hayden.

During World War II, he enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps, where he was first assigned to Oceanside, Calif. He was part of the 1st Marine Division, 8th Amphibious Battalion, as a tractor operator and promoted to sergeant. In the Pacific Theater, he served in the invasions of Palau and Okinawa.

Upon returning to the U.S. he became a carpenter, where he worked for various construction companies in Butler, Pittsburgh and Mercer. On May 18, 1946, he married the late Elizabeth Nagy and lived in Butler and West Sunbury before moving to Sharpsville in 1966.

Joseph was co-owner and president of Johnson & McIntyre General Contractors in Sharpsville and started his own company J.G. Hayden & Son General Contractors of Sharon in 1968, where he retired from in 1989.

After retirement he donated his time to Saint John XXIII Home and the St. Joseph Food Pantry. In 2005, he was honored at a special ceremony at Moniteau High School for his military service and was presented with his GED.

He was instrumental in the building of St. Louis Roman Catholic Church in West Sunbury. Some of his major construction projects were Sharon West Hill Elementary School and St. Conrad's Church, both in Meridian, Pa.; the Grove Manor Nursing Home, Grove City; the Notre Dame Parochial Grade School; the Good Shepherd Church; the Hermitage Municipal Building; the Greenville Savings Bank, Saint John XXIII and St. Paul's Homes. One of his favorite projects was the First Presbyterian Church in Greenville.

He had a strong Catholic faith and was a member of St. Joseph Church in Sharon. He belonged to Carpenters Local Union 922; a fourth-degree Knights of Columbus, Butler; a member and past-president of the Builder's Association of Eastern Ohio and Western Pennsylvania; a member of Hermitage VFW; the former Sharon Country Club; and a former board member of St. John XXIII.

He was an avid golfer and participated on numerous golf teams at the Sharon Country Club. He was awarded numerous trophies throughout his golfing career including a hole in one. He enjoyed woodworking, traveling to Europe, Las Vegas and Hawaii with his loving wife and hunting, including expeditions to Jackson Hole, Wyoming, British Columbia and Newfoundland. Joe was a Steelers, Pirates and Penn State fan and enjoyed attending football games.

He was a devoted and fun loving husband, father and grandfather, “Papa,” with a generous big heart. He enjoyed spending time with his family, attending his grandchildren's activities and keeping up with everyone's latest news. He will be sadly missed by all those who loved him.

Surviving are his son, Greer Hayden and his wife, Sally of Hermitage; his daughter, Debra M. McElhaney and her husband, S. Dean McElhaney of Jamestown, Pa.; four grandchildren, Jered McElhaney and his wife, Tennille, Jenna Hayden-Freas and her husband, Brian, Danielle Hill and her husband, Justin, and Erin Brown and her husband, Alex; and six great-grandchildren, Christian and Karis McElhaney, Elizabeth and Andrew Hill and Miya and Avery Freas; his sister, Doris Walch of Sarasota, Fla.; his brother-in-law, Arthur Morrow of West Sunbury; and several nieces and nephews.

Besides his wife, Joe was preceded in death by his parents; one infant daughter; one infant son; two sisters, Joyce Graham and Judy Morrow; and two brothers, Thomas Hayden III and Patrick Hayden.

HAYDEN — Calling hours for Joesph G. Hayden Sr., who died Friday, June 3, 2016, will be from 4 to 7 p.m. Tuesday at the J. Bradley McGonigle Funeral Home and Crematory, 1090 E. State St., Sharon.Funeral Mass will be at 10 a.m. Wednesday at St. Joseph Church, Sharon, with the Rev. Thomas Whitman, pastor, as celebrant.Entombment will take place at St. Rose Cemetery Mausoleum, Hermitage, with military honors rendered by the Hickory VFW Honor Guard.The family suggests memorial contributions be made to a charity of the donor's choice.Online condolences may be sent to the family at www.McGonigleFuneralHomeandCrematory.com.