Timothy Yeatman Hayward

Middlesex, VT
Timothy Yeatman Hayward of Middlesex, Vermont, passed away on March 17th, 2024 surrounded by his family. He was born September 9, 1941, the son of the late Ruth Morison Faulkner of Keene, New Hampshire, and the late Richard Folsom Hayward of Cincinnati, Ohio. He was a Marine, mentor, advisor, consigliere, dear friend, devoted husband, and loving father.
He leaves behind his wife of 55 years, Susan Cady Hayward and their three children; daughter Heidi Urish and her husband Steven Urish and their three children Emily, Annie and Caroline all of Raleigh, North Carolina; son Nathaniel and his wife Katherine Krebs and their two sons Samuel and Joseph of South Hero, Vermont; and son Zachary and his wife Christina Steinbrecher and their daughter Kaelyn and son Gregory of Middlesex. He is also survived by his Hayward half-brothers; Richard of Jonesborough, Tennessee and his wife, Vivian, and daughter, Yvette; Philip of Alexandria, Virginia, and his wife, Polly, and their daughter, Clara; Jonathan of Elizabethton, Tennessee; and Alex of Richmond, Virginia. And, of course his canine sons, Liam and Brady.
He was predeceased by his sister Ellen Roentsch of Keene, NH; his brother James Duncan of Middlesex; and a half-brother, Geoffrey of Virginia. He was preceded in death by his beloved dogs; Freckles, Alex, Nicki, Sheka, Morris, Nina, Niko, Tyler, Tucker, as well as his granddogs; Bailey, Wilson, Sicily, Dharma, Rocky, Mya, Cotty, Molly, and Huckleberry.
Tim grew up in Keene, New Hampshire and Milton, Massachusetts. He was a 1960 graduate of Milton Academy and the Middlebury College Class of 1964. He served as an Officer in the U.S. Marine Corps from 1964 to 1967, reaching the rank of Captain. This experience profoundly shaped his life. Tim was proud of his service in the Marine Corps, and valued the lessons learned in completing Officer Candidate School. These lessons became ingrained in his character and served him well. The self-discipline, mental fortitude, leadership skills, integrity, and unwavering commitment to the task at hand stayed with him for life.
Upon his discharge from active duty, he returned to the Boston area and took a job that trained him in computer programming. He married Susan Cady, the sister of a college friend, in June of 1968 and they moved to Vermont in December of that year. He was hired as a senior analyst/programmer at National Life Insurance Company where he worked until February of 1974. During his time at National Life, he also became involved in local Republican politics. He served on the Town, County, and State Party committees as well as on the Middlesex School Board. From 1985-2002 Tim worked as the president of the Vermont Bankers Association. He poured himself into this work, helping to strengthen and modernize a rapidly evolving banking industry in the state.
Throughout his life, Tim served as the behind-the-scenes director and quiet confidant to Vermont's most prominent leaders. Tim served one term in the Vermont House of Representatives in the 1970s as the member from Middlesex, where he got to know future governor and lifelong friend, Jim Douglas. In 1974, Jim Jeffords asked Tim to manage his first campaign for US House of Representatives; the campaign was a success, launching Jeffords' 30-year career as a Congressman and Senator. Governor Dick Snelling hired Tim as a member of his executive staff in 1978; he served in senior positions throughout Snelling's first tenure ending in 1985. In 2002, Governor Jim Douglas tapped Tim to manage his gubernatorial transition; Tim went on to serve as Douglas' chief of staff for all eight years in office. He was especially proud of his efforts with Governor Douglas to strengthen relations with the Province of Quebec and to advance Vermont's interests through the National Governors Association.
To his colleagues in the Douglas Administration, Tim was known as "Chief" – the name itself honoring Tim's loyalty, integrity, and service. Even after he'd long left government, when Governor Phil Scott was elected in 2016, he asked the Chief to come back into public service and manage his transition into office.
In all these roles, Tim's love of Vermont and her people burned bright. With a deep sense of duty, he worked tirelessly to ensure the State was well-run and responsive to the people it served. As Tim's dear friend Tom Evslin wrote, "Tim has been the greatest force for good and effective government in Vermont that you never heard of."
Tim always relished a good challenge. In 1961 when he climbed Gray Mountain, he became an Adirondack 46er, having climbed all 46 peaks over 4,000 feet, half of which were then truly trailless. In the summer of 1990, he joined his son Nathaniel on the summit of Seymour Mountain as he celebrated becoming a 46er as well. Fifty years to the day after Tim became a 46er on Gray he joined son Zachary in achieving the same feat on the same peak. Speaking of challenges, after graduating from Middlebury in May 1964 and before going on active duty in the Marines in August, Tim hitchhiked roundtrip from Boston to Anchorage, Alaska.
His Marine service instilled in him a love of running, particularly the dirt roads and trails near his home. In his 70s, Tim picked up running again. He challenged himself to run every road in the Town of Middlesex, and did. He twice participated with former Douglas Administration colleagues in the 100-on-100 Relay Race down the spine of Vermont; Douglas himself drove the support van. The Worcester mountains served as his backyard, and he climbed Hunger Mountain with his friends, family, and dogs hundreds of times. For many years, Tim and Sue hosted the "Hunger Mountain Challenge" – a 4-mile, white-knuckle sprint from the top of Hunger down to their home in Middlesex. Tim would revel in the madness of the mud and blood-spattered spectacle, but most of all, he was just happy to have his family and friends close.
The bonds of family meant everything to him as did his ties to generations past; those who forged who we are today. He captured much of his life story in an autobiography to provide a bridge of understanding for those yet to come. He also wrote a book of poems to express his observations of nature, and philosophy.
Tim was not religious, but he loved classical music, the hymns of old and their great poetry. One of his passions was sitting at his pump organ, playing a seemingly unending medley of his favorites. His family knew this as his meditation and means of staying patient while waiting for his family (Sue) to get ready to leave the house.
Tim wanted to thank all of his medical "team" for their expertise and allowing him more time on the stage of life, and most particularly Sue for her love, care, and patience.
His family would especially like to thank the Intensive Care and Palliative Care teams at Central Vermont Medical Center. Their tender care in the final week of his life was remarkable. Drs Murphy, Parker, and Crainich; Abbey and Patsy; Rebecca, Joseph, Megan, Dennis and the rest of the nursing team. Thank You All for taking such good care of our Fafa.
A celebration of Tim's life will be held this summer, when the trails are dry and the skies are clear.