Birth date: Mar 16, 1944 Death date: Oct 5, 2018
Dr. John Overton Gayden, husband, father, grandfather, mentor and friend to many, died on October 5, 2018 at the age of 74 after a long struggle with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.Known as “Jack” to everyone who loved him, meaning Read Obituary
Dr. Gayden delivered my daughter in 1989. I had never seen him before and was a nervous wreck. His funny bedside manner immediately eased me. It was a difficult birth, but she was healthy with no concerns. I continued to see him for my annual exams until he retired. I wonder at times, if anyone else had delivered her, would it have been the same. I am eternally grateful to Dr. Gayden and will miss him. Love and prayers to his family.
Dr. Gayden barely delivered my youngest. When he broke my water, I asked if he was going to be there to deliver Amanda and he said heck yes! I was afraid it'd be after hours and he wouldn't be on call.
It was around 3:15 pm that afternoon and he was paged when I was ready to deliver. He was talking between his office and Baptist East in the tunnel. Another doctor was called in and had just sat down to deliver Amanda. I was so relieved he was there to deliver Amanda, which was 32.5 years ago.
He was such a sweet man. I just googled him and read he had passed.
Dr. Gayden is a man I will never forget. He was full of life lessons and good advice. He took my brother and I hunting when we were younger. He tought me things like:eating garlic before basketball games to use your bad breath to get guys off you & how everyone thought he could drink a lot cause he drank Gin and Tonic and after a few it was only Tonic. He was a very inspirational person in my life, that left an everlasting imprint. He will be truly missed! Prayers to his family.
Jack Gayden was a remarkable man. He was a bright light at Baptist Hospital from the moment I met him at Baptist on Union. He treated everyone at the hospital with the utmost respect whether you were in environmental services to the CEO. He was kind to every employee. Whether you were his patient or someone else’s patient he cared for you. I will never forget him. He gave me so much as a friend, confidant, and Physician. I will always remember his loving caring ways through breakups with boyfriends and fiance’ to when I got married, had my child, buried my parents and specifically his guidance as my sister went through her stem cell transplant in Nashville. As bad as he felt at the time, he talked me through all my questions about the logistics of Vanderbilt and who to I talk to about everything. He never judged anyone because he let you know he had never walked in your shoes as he told you exactly what you should do, which always made sense and made you laugh. Life will be tough without Jack around. I will pray for all of you as you go through life without him around. You will always have his spirit and all the “Jackisms” . Live life, laugh a lot and love each other. From the lessons of Jack.
To know Dr. Gayden was to love him and I sure did. He was a great man and I was privileged to be called one of his cousins, for which the word when used by him held a very special place in my heart. Today we celebrate his life with deepest love, thankfulness and the fondest of memories. My thoughts and prayers are with those that he held closest to his heart.
We were playing East High School and the gym was packed. Jack & I were on a fast break. Jack was guarded by Bill Boner and he just crossed the center court line. Jack teased Bill with the ball out in front of him and Boner went for the steal. Jack then dribbled behind his back and Boner went for the fake. Jack went in and scored the layup. When I turned around and went back up the court on defense, Boner was still looking for his “jock strap.” I can still see this today. We won the game.Condolences to all of his family and friends.
Dr. “Jack” Gayden was a doctor who invested in his patients. I am grateful to have been his patient since I was a teenager, and am honored that he was the one who guided me through the joys of delivering my three sons, the pain of loss, as well as many other medical issues. He made me feel as if we were lifelong friends and he always took the time to listen, guide, and LAUGH! We laughed a lot! We formed a great rapport as we talked about faith and family, and I always looked forward to seeing him. I considered him my friend. He made a huge impact on my life and my family and he will truly be missed. Rest easy, Dr. Gayden. You were one in a million!!!
I am so sorry for your loss.
Jack delivered both of my sons in the mid eighties. He also guided me through my miscarriages in such a spiritual way. I have never forgotten that.
Jack hunted ducks and doves several times with my husband, and was so much fun to be around.
May God be with you all in your time of sadness.
I will never forget the first time I at Doctor John Gayden. I had just turned 19 years old and had been rushed to the emergency room at Baptist East because I was miscarrying my first baby. I was very scared and didn’t really know what was happening at the time he was the doctor in my group that was on call and it was the first time I met him. He got very close to me face-to-face almost nose-to-nose and he had my face cradled in his hands and he looked into my eyes and said, “Your baby is in Heaven now.” Although I would be forever heartbroken his sweet kind words and gestures stayed with me and called me at the moment. AND because of that I change doctors in the group and he became my Dr and he delivered my daughter Angela. He told me about a doctor in Nashville that I could use because we were moving and I hated to leave him. It was about 10 years later I saw the doctor gave me again when I was visiting family in the hospital. I was walking across the parking lot leaving the hospital and he was going inside. He stopped me and asked how I was doing and he called me by name after all those years, I thought it was remarkable that he remembered me. I will never forget him. He was dear to me. God bless his family. God bless John Gayden.
I am so sorry for your loss. Dr. Gayden was the most amazing doctor! The world was a better place because of him. Your family is in my thoughts and prayers.
