GAINESVILLE, Texas — Teresa Hayden
passed at her Gainesville, Texas, home on May 9, 2022. She was born July 17, 1931, in Muenster, Texas, a daughter of the late Justin William Hess and Margareta (Klement) Hess; and was the eighth child of nine. She and Lyle Hayden were married October 22, 1983, in Little Rock. She is preceded in death by Lyle, the love of her life, who passed in February 1999. She is also preceded in death by her stepdaughter, Marcia Young; her brothers and sisters, Joseph, Alois, Margaret Schmitt, Mathilda Schmitt, Helen Wimmer, William, and Anton.
A longtime educator, Teresa received a Baccalaureate Degree from Arkansas State University, Jonesboro; and taught firsteighth grade and High School mathematics from 1949 to 1975. Of her career in teaching, Teresa was most proud of teaching mathematics at Goretti High School in Lake Arthur, La. She completed her Masters Degree at Loyola University in Chicago, and then served as Director of Religious Education at Christ the King in Little Rock from 1976 to 1983.
From 1995 to 1999, Teresa served as librarian for the Catholic Diocese of Little Rock. She also volunteered for the Office of Religious Education at Christ the King. In 2019, Teresa moved from her longtime Arkansas home to Gainesville, Texas, to be near family.
Teresa Ann Hess Hayden is survived by her sister, Rosina Schmidlkofer and husband, Leroy A. Schmidlkofer; multiple generations of nieces and nephews; and many friends across Arkansas, Louisiana, and Texas.
A Rosary and visitation will be held Friday, May 20, 2022, at 6 p.m., in the chapel at Griffin Leggett Healy & Roth Funeral Home in Little Rock. Mass of Christian Burial will be Saturday May 21, at 2:30 p.m. at Christ the King in Little Rock. The service will be available by livestream.
In lieu of flowers, Teresa’s family requests that donations be sent to
Christ the King Catholic Church, Little Rock
Olivetan Benedictine Sisters, Holy Angels Convent, Jonesboro
Sacred Heart Catholic School, Muenster, Texas.
Please share your memories, condolences and messages of love, comfort and support with Teresa’s family at: www.griffinleggetthealeyroth.com.