Dianne Hayden Barrett (1961-2017)

Below is the official obituary for Dianne Hayden Barrett
May 21, 1961 – April 11, 2017.

Dianne Mary Hayden Barrett joined her husband in Heaven the morning of April 11^th, 2017.

Dianne was born May 21, 1961 to Betty Lou Miles Hayden and Herman Melchior Hayden in Eau Clare County, Wisconsin. She graduated from Elk Mound High School and was commissioned into the United States Air Force and served for 20 years. During which she attend Southwest Texas State University (SWTSU), where she received a bachelor’s degree in Computer Science.

While at SWTSU, Dianne met her husband of 32 years, Murray William Barrett, who was also attending SWTSU on a military scholarship. Upon her graduation, they married on May 4, 1985 and moved to Dianne’s next assignment in the United States Air Force to Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.

As Dianne’s military career took them to various locations, they were blessed with four children: Matthew and Jennifer (Jenn) were born on Tinker Air Force Base (Oklahoma City, OK), Russell was born on Keesler Air Force Base (Biloxi, MS), and Cassandra (Cassie) was born on K.I. Sawyer Air Force Base (Upper Peninsula of Michigan).

In June of 1997, Dianne retired from the Air Force and the family took a one year sabbatical to travel through the 48 contiguous states and 9 of the 10 Canadian provinces. Dianne and Murray taught their children American history by living it. They walked Revolutionary and Civil War battlefields, visited several National Parks and historic landmarks, and toured many of the State and Provincial Capital buildings. No matter where their travels took them, on Sunday mornings Murray and Dianne made it a priority to find a place to worship God and fellowship with other believers.

June of 1998, the sabbatical ended and they moved to San Marcos, Texas. Dianne worked at the First Baptist church of San Marcos while she and Murray became involved in their children’s program. The family also became involved in the community theater, producing Annie in 1999, the Wizard of Oz in 2000, and the King and I in 2001. By that final production, Dianne had become involved to the point of being co-Director.

In July 2001 they settled in New Braunfels and found a family of believers at First Baptist Church. Dianne earned her teachers certification while working nights at an assisted living home. After completing her certification, she taught at Seguin High School and later New Braunfels High School.

Following the 2007-2008 school year, Dianne retired from teaching to care for Murray’s aging parents, Catharine and Bob Raub, who moved into their home. After their passing and with all four kids no longer at home, Dianne took a position at First Baptist Church as the secretary, interspersed with frequent trips with Murray.

Dianne also served faithfully at First Baptist Church teaching 5^th and 6^th grade Sunday school and leading the Awana Ministry. She and Murray firmly believed these preteen age children needed a strong role model who would help them understand their need for the Savior, Jesus Christ. Together they were a perfect team, mingling Dianne’s organization and structure with Murray’s passion and fun; holding it all together with deep love for children.

Dianne never met a stranger and was beloved by all she met, always willing to help (or take charge) anytime there was a need. She will be deeply missed for her kindness, friendship, leadership, servant’s heart, and the way Christ’s love reflected from her wonderful laugh and smile.

Dianne was preceded in death by her parents, Herman and Betty Hayden, and her husband, Murray. She is survived by her four children, Matthew, Jenn, Russell, and Cassie; her sisters Kathy Hayden Carey (Dan), Bonnie Hayden, and Patti Hayden, her brother Dave Hayden (Rhonda); numerous nieces and nephews and many, many dear friends.

A memorial service will be held on Saturday, April 15^th, at 1:00 pm at First Baptist Church in New Braunfels.

In lieu of flowers, the family has asked that memorials may be made in Dianne’s name to the First Baptist Church Building Fund.

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8 responses to “Dianne Hayden Barrett (1961-2017)”

Laurie Powers

April 13, 2017 at 4:25 pm

My heart is breaking for you …I know too well the pain you are feeling and I pray for you. I lost my parents exactly 30 days apart. Its hard to envision life when you lose one but to lose both so close together is unimaginable. Hold tight to your faith and you will be in my prayers!

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John Doty

April 13, 2017 at 5:12 pm

It saddens me to hear of Dianne’s passing. But it gives me joy to know Dianne and Murray can eternally praise God in heaven. May they watch over their children with joy knowing they will one day join them in heaven.

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Roalnd Moore

April 16, 2017 at 7:14 pm

When peace like a river, attendeth my way…. I heard that whole song on Saturday at The First Baptist Church of New Braunfels at the memorial for Dianne Barrett. I can’t speak for anyone else there, but all was not well with my soul. I felt an exquisite sadness, and there was no dirge playing, and no wailing, but to my ears it was like a bolt of lightning had just ripped through the congregation, and yet somehow nearly everyone was almost un-phased, as hopefully, finally, the last of the thunder rumbled and echoed through from that terrible storm of sorrow? Or were they all just stricken numb by all of the tragedy and grief focused on one town, and on one church, and on and one family? But there was no elegy. I am not a member of that church, so I may be just an observer outside of the waterfall of their faith, and not actually know how it may be experienced from inside of that waterfall. If God didn’t want his creation to experience the joy and misery of life, why then have so many tools and methods to express it all? I am old enough to know that if a man wants something done right, sooner or later a woman is going to have to get involved. One week earlier I saw something remarkable, something where a remarkable woman got involved, something I most likely will never see again. When Dianne Barrett talked then about her late husband, and the life with him and and the faith she had and shared together with him, that was something that was almost unexplainable in its wisdom, reach, and impact. But without her there, there was nothing like her presence and her words to help make sense of it all. I left that day wondering what it all could mean. I couldn’t think of a hymn from any traditional Bible source, but the idea of a river made me think of a lyric that begins “Is it a part of a dream, floating out on the tide, following the river of death downstream, or is it a dream”? There’s a fog along the horizon, and strange glow in the sky, And nobody seems to know where it goes, and what does it mean? Oh, Is it a dream? Bright Eyes, burning like fire, bright eyes how can you close and fail, how can the light that burned so brightly suddenly burn so pale, bright eyes.

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