Frank Hayden: key obituary facts
Is Frank Hayden dead? Yes. Frank Hayden died on May 16, 2026, at age 96.
Cause of death: Frank Hayden's cause of death has not been publicly confirmed.
What was Frank Hayden known for?
He was known as Canadian professor.
More about Frank Hayden
Place of birth: Windsor.
Gender: male.
Occupation: professor, pioneer.
Nationality: Canada.
Employer: McMaster University.
Awards: Order of Ontario, Officer of the Order of Canada, Companion of the Order of Canada.
Also known as: Frank Joseph Hayden.
Born: January 11, 1930.
Known for: Legally incorporated "Special Olympics Inc".
Frank Hayden, a Canadian academic and physical education and kinesiology professor, died on May 16, 2026, at the age of 96.
Hayden was born in Windsor, Ontario, on January 11, 1930, and later lived in Burlington and Oakville. He earned a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Western Ontario in 1955, followed by a Master of Science in 1958 and a Doctor of Philosophy in 1962 from the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign.
He joined the faculty of the University of Western Ontario in 1964 and was a pioneer of the Special Olympics. While at Western in the early 1960s, he researched fitness programs for disabled children.
Frank Joseph Hayden, CC OOnt (January 11, 1930 – May 16, 2026) was a Canadian physical education and kinesiology academic, and a pioneer of the Special Olympics from Oakville, Ontario.