William L. “Bill” Hayden, a resident of Pendleton, Ore., and former long-time resident of the Oak Harbor area, died Easter Sunday, April 8, 2007, at his home of natural causes. He was 86 years old.

No services will be held at this time. Memorials in his memory may be directed to the American Cancer Society. Burns Mortuary of Pendleton is in charge of arrangements.

Mr. Hayden was born Nov. 24, 1920 in Sumner, Wash. He was the son of Leonard and Myrtle (Bowen) Hayden. He was raised and educated in Sumner. After his schooling, he entered the United States Navy, and served his country during World War II. After his discharge in 1945, he returned to Sumner for a short time. He married Rita Murphy on Sept. 11, 1946 in Sumner. He had lived and worked in Haines, Alaska; Pocatello, Idaho and Billings, Mont., as well as Puyallup before the family moved to the Oak Harbor area. While here, Mr. Hayden was an air traffic controller for Whidbey Island Naval Air Station. He worked at that for many years before his retirement. He moved to Pendleton in October of 2006 to be closer to his family. Mrs. Hayden died in December of 2001.

He greatly enjoyed reading, camping, working on cars and all kinds of tinkering. He was a member of Elks Lodge 2362 of Oak Harbor.

He is survived by a daughter, Mo Garton of Pendleton; two sons, Leonard J. Hayden of Rogers, Ark., and William B. Hayden of West Glacier, Mont.; three grandchildren and five great-grandchildren. He was preceded in his death by one brother and one grandson.