Mr. Haywood, 68, died Wednesday, January 24, 2007 at Presbyterian Hospital in Huntersville of amyloidosis, surrounded by his loving family.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Earl M. and Sadie Blake Haywood, and first wife, Sharon Kennerly Haywood.
A native of Mt. Gilead, NC, he is survived by his wife Peggy Colegrove Haywood and children, Morris Lee Haywood of Wendell, NC, Lauren Elizabeth Haywood of Falls Church, VA, stepson Jason Cuneo and wife Angela of Cornelius, NC, grandson Matthew T. Haywood of Knightdale, NC, brother Leland Haywood and wife Mary Lee Haywood of Charlotte, NC, nieces Karen Haywood Queen and husband Eric Queen of Williamsburg, VA and Laura Haywood-Cory and husband Paul Cory of Durham, NC, nephews Earl Allen Haywood of Washington, DC, and Bob Klepfer, III of Huntsville, AL, great-nephew Ashton Queen and great-niece Alyssa Queen, both of Williamsburg, VA, brothers-in-law Thomas Colegrove of Athens, PA, Dale Colegrove, wife Brenda of Salisbury, MD and children, David Colegrove, wife Margie and children of Tioga, PA, and Clark Colegrove of Cary, NC, wife Nancy, and daughter Cassie, sister-in-law Joretta K. Klepfer and husband Robert O. Klepfer of Greensboro, and mother-in-law Margaret Kennerly of Mooresville, NC.
Born August 3, 1938, Ronald was a graduate of Mt. Gilead High School and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where he received the BA degree in business. Following a nineteen-year career with Allstate Insurance Co, he left to form Haywood Vending, Inc. (later, Vending Enterprises) which he ran from 1984 to 2002, expanding its size from a small portion of North Carolina to a regional operation covering three states.
He was a very talented musician, mastering both 5-string bluegrass banjo and acoustic and electric guitar. His repertoire included bluegrass, country and innumerable folk songs. He was a devoted husband, father and grandfather, and enjoyed spending time with family, friends and neighbors, reading, doing garden work, playing music and singing with brother Leland, and spending time at his and Peggy's mountain retreat in Meadows of Dan, VA.