Peter Cole Haywood

Longtime Sonoma resident Peter Cole Haywood passed away on October 22, 2024, at the age of 87. Born in Chicago and one of the two children of Mary and Marshall Haywood, Peter attended Chicago Latin School and high school at Lawrenceville in New Jersey.  He graduated from Stanford with a degree in political science.

Following his years at Stanford, Peter joined the United States Marine Corps where he graduated from Officer Candidates School at Quantico. Later, as a Second Lieutenant, he trained others in the use of the M-14 rifle at Camp Pendleton.  He treasured his time in the Marines and often said they made a man of him.  He returned to civilian life in 1962.

In 1963 Peter joined the Draper Company which owned and operated shopping centers in the Bay Area.  Within a few years he knew he wanted to be his own boss.  He partnered with a contractor and built several spec houses in the South Bay.  Outdoor work appealed to him and he learned that he was good at conceptualizing a project from the bare ground to a completed structure.  He formed the Haywood Development Company and TransMarin Properties; projects included commercial, industrial and residential developments, his last one completed in 1986.  During these years, Peter married and raised two sons and a daughter.

But Peter’s dream was for a simpler life. Some of his best memories were summers on a Colorado horse ranch as a teenager and summers on an island off the coast of Upper Peninsula, Michigan, as a child.  In 1973 he purchased land in a lovely valley northeast of Sonoma where he envisioned planting vineyards, and planned to move his family.  He spent hours and days exploring the land, laying out the vineyards for minimal erosion and maximum beauty.  For a decade he divided his time between development projects in Marin and establishing his vineyard in Sonoma.  In 1976 Peter and his family finally moved into their new home.

Not long after, Peter established Haywood Winery, selling his first bottled wines in 1979.  His goal was to make great wines at reasonable prices. His efforts were rewarded with many awards for his sumptuous varietals, especially his zinfandel.  He put his heart and soul into stewarding the land and caring for the vineyards with the support of his longtime vineyard staff.  As the industry changed and consolidated, he remembered fondly the early days of camaraderie among the valley growers and wine makers.  

Peter loved the Sonoma Community and offered his considerable organizational and negotiating skills to a number of local non-profits.  For many years, he served as a board member and as President of Sonoma Valley Vintners and Growers.  Vineyard Worker’s Services benefitted from Peter’s development expertise when he helped establish short term housing for the many workers who came to the valley for grape harvest.  On behalf of the Sonoma Valley Hospital, Peter negotiated the purchase of land during the recession when it became available.  The hospital ultimately sold the land for a considerable profit. He also helped negotiate land acquisition for the Vailetti Project, which has provided housing to the local vineyard working community for many years.

Peter was an avid sailor.  He sailed and raced motorboats as a young man on Lake Michigan, and he sailed as a bachelor in Sausalito.  In the 1980’s he raced the schooner Taurua and cruised her with his family to the Channel Islands. In the 2000’s he owned and raced the 50’ wooden schooner, Elizabeth Muir, participating in many Master Mariners and Great San Francisco Schooner regattas. He treasured sailing San Francisco Bay and the Pacific Northwest with his community of sailing friends. Even as he approached his last days, he was still dreaming of owning another wooden boat.

A friend to many, he was always ready to lend a helping hand.  When fire devastated a friend’s ranch, he donated a truck, equipment, and replanting advice.  He provided jobs to many young men and women in the valley who still remember Peter providing them with much-needed work.

In the 80’s Peter met and married Maggie Salenger (Haywood). They owned and operated the ranch together and shared a life of adventure, travel and gatherings with family and friends.  Peter and Maggie had a 38-year romance that ended too soon. 

Peter loved his family intensely; he treasured his time with his adult children and his grandchildren and was so proud of them and their accomplishments.  Some of his best times were those he shared with family and friends.

Peter’s unique blend of intellect, humor and kindness endeared him to others.  He loved life and valued honesty, creativity, hard work and adventure.  The ranch he built was the culmination of his life’s work and will remain a testament to the kind of man he was.  He will be missed!!

He is survived by his wife, Margaret Salenger Haywood, by his children Alan Haywood, Kevin Haywood, and Maria Haywood and by his step children: Karina Salenger and Brix Smith Start and by his grandchildren: Olivia Haywood, Aeden Haywood, Isabelle Perez-Bode and Sofia Perez-Bode. 

Donations can be made in his name to Redwood Food Bank or Salvation Army.  Peter’s family is planning a private celebration of life.

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