Wayne Wingert
March 1, 1954 — December 6, 2018
Wayne Henry Wingert was born in Phoenix, AZ at 6:41pm on March 1st, 1954 to Carmella and Leo Wingert. He passed away on December 6, 2018 after complications from a heart procedure at St. Mary's Hospital in Rochester, MN at the age of 64.
When Wayne was 10 his family moved to Portsmouth, IA. In his early days he helped out on the family farm feeding cattle, plowing fields and fixing anything that was broken down. He enjoyed attending school and graduated from Harlan High School in 1972. On July 24, 1981 he achieved a Associate of Applied Science Degree in Solar Energy Technology and in Air Conditioning & Refrigeration.
In 1973, Wayne met Debbie at a bar in Omaha and they have been inseparable since. They were married in 1974 and had 4 children. Lacey Marie Schurke, Meagan Elizabeth McGinn, Chloe Mae Gray and Cole Henry Wingert. They lived in Davenport, IA, Sergeant Bluff, IA and eventually settled in Denison, IA.
He enjoyed going on family vacations to South Dakota, Yellowstone National Park, Colorado, Wyoming and Montana. Some of his occupations were a Butcher, Electrician and Maintenance Supervisor. He retired from Smithfield in 2018 after working there for 25 years. He also was a Boy Scout Leader and a Denison City Soccer Coach. In the summer he would go to Lake View, IA where he had what you would consider his "man cave". He loved having his kids and grandchildren stay the weekend where he could show his grilling skills and build a big campfire. Telling stories around the campfire was one of his favorite pastimes. Hobbies of his included cooking, grilling and smoking meat, gardening, canning pickles and salsa, camping, fishing, road trips and working on his MG. If you needed help at any time, he was the guy to call. Wayne will always be known for his incredible wit, sense of humor and how he always lived in the moment.
Wayne was preceded in death by his father Leo and step-father Donovan. Survivors include his wife, Debbie Wingert of Denison, IA; Children, Lacey (Adam) Schurke of Omaha, NE, Meagan (Brandon) McGinn of Denison, IA, Chloe (Jerad) Gray of Des Moines, IA and Cole Wingert of Denison, IA; grandchildren, Damien, Nico, Mareck, Liam, Mina, Evan, Briella and Kynleigh; mother Carmella Grap of Portsmouth, IA; brothers Al (Colleen) Wingert of Arizona, Barry (Teri) Wingert of Omaha, NE, and Paul (Lori) Wingert of Harlan, IA; sister, Peggy (Al) Birnley of Council Bluffs, IA; Step-siblings, Cheryl (Jim) Gardner of Waterloo, IA, Gayle Grap of Council Bluffs, IA, Rodney (Jenny) Grap of Glenwood, IA and LeeAnn (Robert) Knecht of Council Bluffs, IA and several cousins, nieces and nephews.
When Wayne was 10 his family moved to Portsmouth, IA. In his early days he helped out on the family farm feeding cattle, plowing fields and fixing anything that was broken down. He enjoyed attending school and graduated from Harlan High School in 1972. On July 24, 1981 he achieved a Associate of Applied Science Degree in Solar Energy Technology and in Air Conditioning & Refrigeration.
In 1973, Wayne met Debbie at a bar in Omaha and they have been inseparable since. They were married in 1974 and had 4 children. Lacey Marie Schurke, Meagan Elizabeth McGinn, Chloe Mae Gray and Cole Henry Wingert. They lived in Davenport, IA, Sergeant Bluff, IA and eventually settled in Denison, IA.
He enjoyed going on family vacations to South Dakota, Yellowstone National Park, Colorado, Wyoming and Montana. Some of his occupations were a Butcher, Electrician and Maintenance Supervisor. He retired from Smithfield in 2018 after working there for 25 years. He also was a Boy Scout Leader and a Denison City Soccer Coach. In the summer he would go to Lake View, IA where he had what you would consider his "man cave". He loved having his kids and grandchildren stay the weekend where he could show his grilling skills and build a big campfire. Telling stories around the campfire was one of his favorite pastimes. Hobbies of his included cooking, grilling and smoking meat, gardening, canning pickles and salsa, camping, fishing, road trips and working on his MG. If you needed help at any time, he was the guy to call. Wayne will always be known for his incredible wit, sense of humor and how he always lived in the moment.
Wayne was preceded in death by his father Leo and step-father Donovan. Survivors include his wife, Debbie Wingert of Denison, IA; Children, Lacey (Adam) Schurke of Omaha, NE, Meagan (Brandon) McGinn of Denison, IA, Chloe (Jerad) Gray of Des Moines, IA and Cole Wingert of Denison, IA; grandchildren, Damien, Nico, Mareck, Liam, Mina, Evan, Briella and Kynleigh; mother Carmella Grap of Portsmouth, IA; brothers Al (Colleen) Wingert of Arizona, Barry (Teri) Wingert of Omaha, NE, and Paul (Lori) Wingert of Harlan, IA; sister, Peggy (Al) Birnley of Council Bluffs, IA; Step-siblings, Cheryl (Jim) Gardner of Waterloo, IA, Gayle Grap of Council Bluffs, IA, Rodney (Jenny) Grap of Glenwood, IA and LeeAnn (Robert) Knecht of Council Bluffs, IA and several cousins, nieces and nephews.
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