Alfred Earl Hayward: September 2, 1936 — December 31, 2023

A fourth generation Californian, Alfred “Fred” Earl Hayward was born on September 2, 1936, at Cottage Hospital in Santa Barbara, California.

He attended Laguna Blanca at the Hope Ranch campus and graduated from Santa Barbara High School in 1954, ultimately matriculating from Claremont McKenna College (Business / Economics) in 1958. Significantly, Fred was elected class president for both SBHS as well as CMC.

Fred married his high school sweetheart, Mary Putnam, in 1957. They were married for almost 54 years until she passed away in 2011.

Fred loved everything about ‘being on the water’ – fresh or salt – and he beat a well-worn path from his childhood home on the Riviera to the harbor whenever possible. An avid sailor of all the single-handed classes of the day, he learned how to race as a crew on Geary 18s (aka ‘flatties’) with his father, Earl, competing in regattas throughout California and the western U.S. His passion for sailing and competition culminated in the Star Class – “the most beautiful boat design of them all.” Back in the day he helmed a wooden-hulled Star (Linus) and eventually skippered the winning entry in the mid-summer regatta for the Lipton Trophy (Santa Barbara Yacht Club perpetual) in 1976, crossing the finish line first in a modern, fiberglass version (Relampago).

Always an athlete, he competed in high school football and track, as well as tennis for many years at La Cumbre Country Club.

He was CEO of Hayward’s, the oldest family-run business in Santa Barbara, until he retired. With his keen eye for detail, he helped an untold number of customers make the best selection of furnishings for their homes. 

Fred was a founding investor in Montecito Bank & Trust, and served on the board of directors for the Boys and Girls Club of Santa Barbara, the YMCA, and the Hope Ranch Park Homes Association.

Always energized whenever he found a meaningful topic related to the ocean, he recently took up the cause of the unnecessary killing of whales in the Santa Barbara Channel. His attempts to educate people about the cause (tankers taking a short-cut inside the Channel Islands) were met with mixed results.

Fred’s longtime friends were an important part of his life – Bill Van Horn and Vince Wood were stalwarts and fellow Dons, as well as ‘salty’ warriors Bill Kieding and Bill and Sheridah Gerard. All provided lots of great memories.

He will be remembered as a caring and loving father and grandfather, leaving behind two sons, Colin and Hugh Hayward, and five grandchildren, Olivia Hayward-Kennedy, Sam Hayward, William Hayward, Charlotte Hayward, and John Hayward. Great grandchildren Eleanor and Iris Kennedy. Fred was predeceased by his wife, Mary Hayward, and his son, Douglas Hayward.

The family would like to thank the nurses and doctors at the Ridley-Tree Wound Center in Goleta for their expertise and conscientiousness, as well as the home care nurses from Central Coast Home Health. Finally, his primary care physician – Dr. Todd Fearer, and his assistant, Carrie – were blessings for the past five years.

Per the request of the deceased, no service will be held.