Eleanor “Marion” Hayden

Eleanor “Marion” Hayden, 90, of Coeur d’ Alene, Idaho, passed away at home peacefully, surrounded by her family on Saturday morning, Oct. 15, 2022.

She was born July 27, 1932, in Hamilton, Montana, to Arthur Leroy Lyman and Caroline Lyman (Schofield).

As a child her family lived in California, Idaho, Montana, Washington and Canada. Marion finally ended up in Libby, Montana, in the early 1950s where she met the love of her life, Donald B. Hayden. They married Aug. 12, 1956 in a small ceremony in Libby.

Don and Marion were together for over 52 years.

Marion was a homemaker who found unique ways to supplement the family income. She sold “current” calendars and stationery for many years. For a short time the Haydens sold Amway and then found Watkins and started DMR Enterprises. They sold Watkins products for almost 50 years and Marion and Don were often part of many small Montana events selling Watkins to the masses.

Her most recent business venture was selling AIM Products – BarleyLife – for over 30 years. Marion was a sponsor for an Iditarod sled dog team led by Libby Riddles. For several years she provided BarleyLife and AIM supplements to keep everyone healthy and strong. Marion also donated AIM products for the health of children at an orphanage in the Philippines run by Kay Davidson.

Marion was a Seventh-Day Adventist Christian who loved the Lord with all her heart. Her mission on this earth was to help anyone who needed help. In Libby, Montana, she was known as the “Dorcas Lady” – our basement was full of blankets, sheets and household goods.

She was always ready to help any family that had an urgent need. She told anyone who would listen about the Love of Jesus. She held Vacation Bible School for the Libby Seventh-Day Adventist Church in her home for 30 years.

Children, and eventually their children, from all around town would come to her home and participate in lessons and crafts and learn about Jesus.

In later years, while living in Coeur d’ Alene, she collected Bibles for “Christmas Behind Bars,” a mission who gives Bibles to prisoners in the United States. She had collected over 4,200 Bibles in nine years!

Her 90th birthday celebration with ladies from the Adventist Praying Grandmas and Gathered for Good community services supplied her with an additional 28 Bibles.

Donald and Marion loved to travel after retirement. Their adventures took them on cruises to the Caribbean and Panama Canal as well as trips to Alaska, Hawaii, Canada and a complete road trip around the Continental United States chauffeured by their daughter, Dawn.

She had a goal of having a picture of her feet in every ocean she was able to get to. During their travels, Marion always had a camera in hand. She took pictures of everything, but her favorites were all the foliage and flowers as well as all the people that she loved.

Looking back through all her pictures, it is often difficult to find a picture with her as she was always the one taking them. She was known to leave her camera and purse in places she was busy admiring and would have to make trips back to get them with a big smile to all who kept her things safe.

Marion is preceded in death by her husband, Donald in 2007, her parents, three brothers: Leonard, John and Jim Lyman and a sister, Betty Lyman.

Marion leaves behind a wonderful legacy of giving and family.

She is survived by her son, Marvin (Nancy) Keller and her daughters, Dawn Hayden and Rhea Hayden; three grandchildren, Aaron (Yoko), Jodine (Ian) Roman, Amber (Lloyd) Williams and her two bonus grandchildren, Cori (Ken) Lind and Katie (Gregory); Gulley will miss her greatly. She had nine great-grandchildren: Alyssa, Jordan, Kiran, Charlee, Kenna, Edison, Katelynn, Johann and Alex; former son-in-law, Mark Gates and three fur grand babies. She loved all her family and friends and their pets that would give her as much love as she gave them.

A service is planned for 10:30 a.m. Friday, Oct. 21, 2022, at the Libby, Montana Seventh-Day Adventist Church located at 206 Airfield Road, Libby, Montana.

Interment will follow at the Libby Cemetery where Marion will be buried next to her beloved husband.

A second service will be held at 4:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 22, 2022, at the Coeur d’ Alene Seventh-Day Adventist Church located at: 111 E. Locust Ave., Coeur d’ Alene, Idaho.

Online condolences and memories may be shared at www.schnackenbergfh.com.

Marion requested that in lieu of flowers, please donate to Donald and Marion’s frequent charity – Spokane Shriners Children’s Hospital: www.shrinerschildrens.org/en/locations/spokane.

Bible donations can also be made to Christmas Behind Bars where you can specify that Bibles be bought with your donation: www.christmasbehindbars.org/donate.

Marion’s family would like to thank Schnackenberg Funeral Home for taking such great care of Marion and both the Libby and Coeur d’Alene Seventh-Day Adventist Churches for giving her a home for her to love the Lord.