John Hayward, of Freeland,Washington, died peacefully on March 15, 2023 in the presence of family and friends. He was 79 years old. He was born November 6, 1943 in Perth, WesternnAustralia, moving to the USA as a young child.

He met the love of his life, Linda Joan Porreca at the University of Massachusetts in Amherst. The two were married on June 26, 1965 in Beverly, Massachusetts. He was a Captain in the US Army in Vietnam from 1965 to 1968, and awarded the Bronze Star. He received a Masters of Hospital Administration in 1973 from the University of Pittsburgh.

He was the loving father of three sons: Jeffrey, David, and Brian. The family moved often in Massachusetts in the 1970s, settling in Eugene, Oregon in 1981. Linda and John lived in Bellingham, Washington from 1991 to 1997 and since have resided on Whidbey Island. He dedicated himself to compassionate healthcare during 24 years of service to PeaceHealth, from 1981 to 2005. As a principled leader committed to integrity and care, he finished his career as the organization’s first lay Chief Executive Officer. Previously he served as CEO of St. Joseph Medical Center in Bellingham and as Chief Operating Officer at Sacred Heart General Hospital in Eugene.

John was an avid Oregon athletics fan to the end. He lived for fly fishing and enjoying the outdoors with family and friends. He made Linda laugh every day of her life. John is survived by his wife Linda, children Jeffrey of Vienna, Austria, David of Seattle, and Brian of Portland, Oregon, daughters-in-law Jasmin (Jeffrey), Annie (David), and Star (Brian), and grandchildren Maggie, Sarah Jane, Tessa, Sasha, Finn, and Orlo, and many other relatives in the US and Australia.