[Dixielandjazz] Gene Hyden

[Dick Baker]

Norm et al,

I knew Gene well during his stay in Virginia in the 1970s & 
1980s.  Coincidentally, I was talking to Audrey Van Dyke just two 
days ago and she mentioned that a January 27 posting on the Facebook 
version of DJML by Deano Assunto (of the Dukes of Dixieland Assuntos) 
reported that Gene was near death.  I found my way to it just 
now.  Assunto's first note was:

"Spoke to a good friend tonight Gene Hyden who will be leaving us 
soon. I was able to say goodbye and thank him for his friendship . . ."

A while later he added this:

"He's a retired Vietnam veteran an avid Jazz photographer and 
supporter of our Family's quest for being properly historically 
acknowledged.  He's been fighting a hard fight for the past few years 
of complications due to diabetes and he told me tonight that he gives 
up so no more dialysis treaments because it's left him with no 
quality of life.  So no more treatments."


At 01:53 PM 2/10/2015, Norm Vickers wrote:
>Re: Searching for recent news of Gene Hyden
>Many of you on these lists knew and admired Gene Hyden.  He had a career in
>the Washington, DC area and was active as photographer/jazzfan in that area.
>He was one of the co-founders of the Jazz Photographers association, now
>essentially inactive.  About a decade ago he retired and moved to New
>Orleans to pursue his jazz/photography interests.  He survived Katrina.
>Then while in New Orleans about a year and a half ago, he had a medical
>crisis and required temporary hemo- dialysis for some kidney 
>failure.  He recovered
>sufficiently and was moved to Salina, KS where daughter worked as a nurse.
>During his time in Salina I talked with him by phone and there were a few
>e-mail from him.  He then, I understand, moved out from daughter's home  and
>was living with a relative- a grandson, I think.
>
>Now, telephone # I had doesn't work and e-mail bounced.  I even sent a
>post-card to his last-known address hoping that if he'd moved, it would be
>forwarded.  And it was returned as "undeliverable."  I even went to the
>website of the Salina, KS newspaper and searched the obituaries  with no
>result.
>
>DJML listmate Derek Coller and I are searching for information about Gene
>Hyden-so the search goes on from two continents.  If you have helpful
>information, please contact me directly so as not to clutter the list.

--
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      Dick Baker
  djml at dickbaker.org