Robert G. Hayden, 88, executive with stock brokerage

Robert Gough Hayden, 88, of Newtown Square, a retired securities firm executive, died Wednesday, Feb. 1, from complications of pneumonia at Crozer-Chester Medical Center.

Mr. Hayden was chairman of Elkins & Co., a Philadelphia brokerage founded in 1906, when Prudential-Bache Securities acquired it in 1981. Elkins & Co. had 12 offices in Pennsylvania and branches in New York City and Linwood, N.J. Prudential-Bache had 226 offices worldwide.

Mr. Hayden told The Inquirer: "We view this merger with a great deal of enthusiasm. There can be no doubt that becoming a part of an organization the size of Bache, with Prudential's financial backing, will be a great benefit for our account executives and their clients."

Mr. Hayden remained a first vice president with Prudential-Bache, which became Wachovia Securities, until retiring in 2005. He served on the board of the Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association and was an arbitrator for the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority. He was former treasurer of the Friends Fiduciary Corp.

Before moving in 2005 to White Horse Village, a retirement community in Newtown Square, Mr. Hayden and his wife, Nancy Smith Hayden, were longtime residents of Swarthmore. He served on the Swarthmore Borough Council and was an active member and former treasurer of the Swarthmore Friends Meeting, where he and his wife were married in 1946.

Mr. Hayden graduated from Frankford High School in 1942 and attended Swarthmore College, where he met his future wife. He loved to say that he knew she was the one for him the first time he saw her walk across the campus, their daughter Patricia Lawrence said.

In addition to his wife and daughter, Mr. Hayden is survived by daughters Anne Peters, Joan Taylor, and Barbara Lewis; a son, Robert Jr.; 15 grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren.

A memorial service will be held at 3 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 19, in the auditorium of White Horse Village, 535 Gradyville Rd., Newtown Square.

Donations may be made to Swarthmore Friends Meeting, 12 Whittier Place, Swarthmore, Pa. 19081.

Contact staff writer Sally A. Downey at 215-854-2913 or sdowney@phillynews.com.