HANCEVILLE, Ala. – Joseph Hayden, of Cullman, recently received an honorary associate degree in precision machining from Wallace State Community College.
Hayden, who will turn 92 on Christmas Eve, was among the foremost machinists in the world, contributing significantly to the aerospace industry over multiple decades.
Hayden spent 36 years working for Speedring Inc. (now General Dynamics), in Cullman, retiring in 1995 after working on a multitude of major projects for the company.
During his time at Speedring, Hayden worked on instrumental components for historic missions, including the Apollo 11 landing. Hayden also machined the quartz parts for NASA’s Gravity Probe B Program.
After his retirement, Hayden was asked to be the consultant between Speedring, NASA and Stanford University for the program and made multiple trips to Palo Alto, California. The quartz spheres for the program, which he machined, hold a Guinness Book world record for being the most perfect spheres ever created. To understand this idea, if the finished sphere was the same size as the Earth, the tallest mountain on the sphere would only be 6-foot tall. The quartz pieces had their final machining in Hayden’s shop at his home, where he also working on other special commissions for NASA and many companies in the aerospace and medical industry.
Prior to receiving the honorary degree, Hayden presented many of his designs, products and plans to students in the Wallace State machining program during a 75-minute lecture, presentation and Q&A.
Hayden emphasized the importance of paying attention to detail. In his work, not only were materials, like quartz, incredibly rare and difficult to machine, but the parts he created including gyros – which had to be within tolerance limits in the millionths.
“You’ve got to love what you do. Be proud of what you do. Do everything the very best you can. And don’t be afraid to ask questions in advance,” he said. “The importance of paying attention and limiting distractions cannot be overstated.”
When asked if Hayden had any regrets or missed opportunities in his career, he said he had just one – that he’d never had the chance to earn a college degree.
At long last, that one shortcoming in his long and distinguished resume has been rectified. Hayden now has that well-deserved degree– from Wallace State and its outstanding machining program.
“I hope that you all realize that you are in the presence of brilliance and greatness today, and that you aspire to that same greatness,” Wallace State President Dr. Vicki Karolewics said to students in attendance.
“After reviewing his career and his biography, it was quite easy to discern that his accomplishments were certainly worthy of an honorary associate degree in precision machining. It is my distinct pleasure to award him this well-deserved degree in advance of his 92nd birthday,” said Karolewics.
Machine Tool Technology program instructor Jonathan Minyard added: “Our department is honored and excited to see Mr. Hayden recognized for his years of service. He’s a well-known individual in our area and has a wealth of knowledge to share with us. We should all strive to accomplish as much as he has in life.”
Hayden is the father of Mary Hovater, one of Wallace State’s most esteemed graduates and former WSCC Outstanding Alumnus of the Year Award Winner, who is currently the acting deputy manager of the Office of Strategic Management at NASA.
“Like my father, you may be doing work in the background, but the work you will do is incredibly important in making the world go around and advancing our economy and civilization,” said Hovater, who was present for the event along with Hayden’s wife Judy, and grandchildren.
Hayden also served in the Army during the US occupation of Germany at the end of WWII, and again during the Korean War.
