Hayden William Anderson died at home on May 20, 2023 after a year-long battle with colon cancer. He was 52.

Hayden was born in New London, CT, to Ruth (Betsy) and Hayden Anderson and grew up in Londonderry, NH. He studied philosophy at Amherst College and Notre Dame, where he earned his PhD. Hayden found his work roles in nonprofit development/administration to be meaningful at organizations such as Camp Calumet in New Hampshire, Seattle University, The Immigrant Legal Advocacy Project, and most recently, as the executive director of The Maine Humanities Council in Portland. Hayden served on the board of Mayo Street Arts and Maine Association of Nonprofits. 

Hayden was the go-to person for advice on a shockingly wide variety of topics, his college friend Banks pointed out, from motorcycles and philosophy to baseball and trivia. (While watching Jeopardy, he commented only when he didn’t know the answer.) Hayden was a pretty good trumpet player, a Red Sox enthusiast, was highly skilled in repairing screens, and boldly claimed to have improved upon his grandmother’s pie crust. Hayden delighted in spending time at his friend Steve’s lake house; the kids would pick noodling around in the lake with their dad over all else in this world. 

Hayden defied classification. He possessed not only an uncommon clarity of thought and practicality, but also a genuine warmth and charm, and an incisive wit. He was not beyond a measure of whimsy. Hayden was universally liked and respected. 

A family friend, Liz, reflected on Hayden having a deep understanding of how the world works and what it most needs. Steve described him as being grounded, centered, and self-aware. Hayden was always exploring from a place of knowing, focus, curiosity, caring, and openness. He was not the anxious or worrying type; he sprung into action when it was needed. No one can recall Hayden complaining or speaking badly of others. Hayden’s approach to life never wavered. As he contended with cancer, he used and exhibited the same values, instincts, personal truths, strength, perspective, and humor. 

As Hayden’s nephew Oliver put it, Hayden effortlessly elevated everyone around him. 

Hayden is survived by his wife, Meredith, and their children Gus (8) and Lucy (5) of Scarborough, ME; his parents, Betsy Anderson of Scarborough, ME, and Hayden Anderson (Michelle) of Dracut, MA; his sister, Elizabeth Burdick (Ross) of Scarborough, ME; his brother, Phillip Anderson of Vermont; in-laws Steve and Gladys Freimer, Lauren Redon, Greg Freimer and his nieces and nephews: Will, Izzy, and Oliver Burdick, Amara and Corran Redon, and Abby and Alex Freimer. 

Visiting hours will be held on Friday, May 26 from 4:00-7:00 pm and a Celebration of Life will be held at 10:00 am Saturday, May 27 at AT Hutchins at 660 Brighton Avenue in Portland.

In lieu of flowers or donations, Hayden wished that anyone reading this would bake a pie and bring it to their local fire station. In recent years, Hayden made pies for local fire stations and Gus proudly delivered them.