Cynthia M. (Bielicki)Peterson

Cynthia Peterson, of Romulus, passed away on Sunday, June 23rd at the Geneva Living Center South. In keeping with Cindy's wishes, there are no public services scheduled. Donations in memory may be directed to Beverly Animal Shelter at beverlyanimalshelter.com, which she generously supported over the years.

Cindy was born in Buffalo, NY, the daughter of the late Edward and Genevieve (Boblak) Bielicki. She was a graduate of West Seneca High School, Class of 1955. She married her high school sweetheart, Richard (Dick) Peterson on March 31, 1957. The couple relocated to Seneca Falls in 1961 when they purchased a small motel on Auburn Rd. that was called 4 Acres Motel. The couple managed the motel for a number of years, and Cindy took an entry level position with the First National Bank of Waterloo to help support the family. Through hard work and furthering her education at Auburn Community College (now Cayuga Community College), where she received a degree in business, Cindy attained the position of Vice President at the bank. In 1968, Cindy and Dick purchased a farm in Romulus, where they established vineyards the following year. After helping Dick to tend the vineyards and while still rising up the ladder at the bank, Cindy and Dick started Swedish Hill Winery, which opened in 1986. She retired from the bank in 1988, to help grow the young winery. Cindy was always at the winery greeting, serving and mingling with customers up until 2010, when due to some health issues, she decided that it was time to retire. At that time, she and Dick handed the reigns over to their son, David and his wife, Jean. Cindy was very passionate about the Swedish Hill, was a great business woman and was instrumental to the growth of the winery. She served on the Board of Directors for the Seneca County Chamber of Commerce and the Seneca County United Way, and was a former President of the Cayuga Wine Trail. Besides her passion for the wine business, she was an animal lover and had many pets over the years.

Cynthia is survived by her dearest husband and business partner of 67 years, Richard; son, David (Jean) Peterson; two grandchildren, Amanda (Kevin) Fitzgerald and Kyle (Hannah) Peterson; four great-grandchildren, Bailey, KJ, Colton Fitzgerald, and Hadley Peterson; sister, Marcia Simpson, two beloved cats, Cupid and Blackie; as well as several nieces and nephews and extended family. In addition to her parents, Cindy was predeceased by two brothers, Edward and Skip, and three sisters, Jean, Delores, and Mitzi.