Jaden "Hayden" August Southard

Our beloved son, Jaden “Hayden” August Southard was born August 16, 2001 and passed away July 18, 2024 after a valiant nine month battle with cancer. 

Jaden was born in Portland at St. Vincent Hospital. When he was little his nickname was “The Hootie” because of his big brown eyes. As a baby, his easygoing and lovable nature was an abundant gift to his parents. As a child, he loved the outdoors and going to church with his grandparents. Jaden attended elementary school in Hillsboro and later in Bend. He completed his first two years of high school at Woodburn High School and later relocated to Savannah, GA where he graduated from Islands High School. Jaden’s first job was during the summer when he worked at Goody’s ice cream in Sunriver. It was routine for him to come home covered in ice cream with a smile on his face. Jaden later worked at Chick-Fil-A where he made many friends and enjoyed taking orders in the sunshine. After graduating high school, Jaden attended Ogeechee Technical College and worked toward his certification to be an electrician. In July 2022, Jaden relocated back to Portland to live with his mother and siblings. He attended Portland Community College part-time and was focused on his pursuit of music, hoping to start a band in the genre of post hardcore/rock with a home studio that he had been using to compose tracks.

Jaden had an incredibly sensitive and empathetic spirit. His sense of humor was the perfect combination of witty and sarcastic and his expressive face and mannerisms brought laughter to all who knew him. He was always keen to join family members for an outing, whether going out on the town with his big brother Skyler, running to grab his favorite Jamba Juice (Mango-A-Go-Go), or simply just talking and enjoying a walk outside in nature. Music was an integral part of Jaden’s life. He developed an interest in guitar at a young age, learned quickly and harmonized with his beautiful voice. You could often catch him listening to his favorite songs and then quickly learning to play them on the guitar. Jaden enjoyed physical fitness and had an eye for fashion. He was scouted by a talent agency while he lived in Georgia and had taken an interest in modeling and acting. Jaden was truly a free spirit and enjoyed traveling. He was a wonderful companion and accompanied his mother on many trips between Portland and Las Vegas. Jaden also loved being near the water. One of Jaden’s favorite places was the beach at Tybee Island, GA. He enjoyed kayaking, swimming, and bodyboarding there with his father and brother, Soren. He also enjoyed many adventures on the Oregon Coast in Lincoln City where he was not afraid to dive into the freezing cold water. While in Georgia, he enjoyed running and participated in many half-marathons and races with his family. 

Jaden was diagnosed with a rare cancer in October 2023, which eventually took away his voice, ability to breathe and movement. Throughout his illness, he remained positive and resilient. He was never far away from his brother Skyler and enjoyed playing video games, watching movies, and sleeping next to him during his time at home. He refused to give up and continued to fight until his last breath. Jaden gave the most wonderful hugs and an opportunity to receive one was a special memory to be forever cherished.

Jaden is remembered by his Mother, Kirsten Judd; his Father, Adam Southard; his four siblings, Skyler, Soren, Rider, and Rooke; his Grandparents Ron and Lisa Southard; Robert and Teri Judd and many other family members and friends. We will miss you until we meet again.