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Wayne’s Obituary
Wayne was born to William Wayne (“Cooter”) and Geraldine Smith on July 17, 1934 in Ackerly, Texas. He graduated from Lamesa High School in 1952 then went to Texas A&M University. Wayne transferred to Baylor University in the spring of 1953 and graduated in 1956. He served in the U.S. Army for 2 years, including a brief stint in Germany before starting his career as a 5th grade teacher for Union ISD in 1959.
On May 20, 1960, Wayne married Connie Lee Nolen, and they served together as active members of First Baptist Church. Wayne became the 8th grade English teacher for Lamesa Middle School in 1961. Their first daughter, Kimberly Diane, was born on September 20, 1963. 1967 was a banner year, as Wayne received his Master’s degree from Texas Tech University and was ordained as a Deacon at First Baptist Church. That year, he also began teaching evening classes at the Howard College Lamesa Campus—something he did for the next 23 years.
Wayne and Connie’s second daughter, Jennifer Leigh, was born on February 12, 1968. That year, Wayne began teaching English at Lamesa High School—a position he held for the next 10 years. From 1979-1990, he moved into administration, serving as Lamesa’s South Elementary Principal. In May 1990, he earned his Doctorate in Education—becoming Dr. Wayne Smith—and served as Lamesa ISD’s Director of Federal Programs. From 1994 until his retirement in June 2004, Wayne served as Executive Vice President of the Lamesa Area Chamber of Commerce.
Wayne actively served Lamesa, Dawson County, and this community through a number of volunteer roles, including:
- Assistant on Staff at First Baptist Church;
- Rotary Club Member and Past President (1990);
- Board Member for Lamesa Housing Incorporated;
- Treasurer for the Lamesa Dawson County Museum Board of Directors;
- Chairman of the Dawson County Historical Committee;
- Board Member of Dawson County Library;
- Resource Conservation and Development (RC&D) Director for Dawson County;
- Board Member for Dawson County Agricultural Committee;
- Dawson County’s Emergency Planning Coordinator;
- Member of Lubbock Economic Council;
- Board Member of Caprock Federal Credit Union;
- Representative to Texas American Cancer Society; and
- Member of Masonic Milam Lodge #11.
Last year (2019), Wayne was named “Man of the Year” by the Lamesa Area Chamber of Commerce.
Throughout his entire life, Wayne held an unwavering faith in God, which he shared with those he encountered. Wayne joined his parents (W.W. and Geraldine), daughter (Kim), sisters, (Alice Howard and Martha Belew and husband, William), and nephew (Garry Miller) in Heaven. He is survived by his loving wife of 60 years, Connie, daughter and son-in-law (Jennifer and Brady Pyle of Houston), and three grandchildren: Katy (Dallas Baptist University), Cody (High School Senior), and Tanner Wayne (8th Grade). He is also survived by his brother and sister-in-law (Bob and Linda Smith of Lamesa) and numerous nieces and nephews.
Brady’s Reflections
25 years ago, I was dating Jennifer Smith. She was an Assistant Volleyball Coach at Texas A&M, where I was at Graduate School. Our careers were about to take us in different directions, and our Singles Minister encouraged us to visit each other’s families, and we would know whether or not the relationship should continue.
In the Christmas of 1995, I made the trip from Houston to Lamesa (550 miles) then from Lamesa to Corpus Christi (500 miles) with Jennifer. Wayne asked Jennifer, “Has that boy seen a map?”
When I met Wayne and Connie, I saw striking similarities to the way I was raised with a strong Faith in Jesus Christ and the importance of both immediate and extended Family; and over the past 25 years, I’ve felt strong love and support from my in-laws.
In Wayne, I saw a commitment to Christ, to this Church, and to the Community (he loved both Lamesa and Dawson county and could recite history about both).
We all watched over the years how Wayne and Connie remained strong through all the health trials and challenges of their older daughter, Kim, whom Wayne has now joined in heaven. In fact, Jennifer once asked her Dad how he dealt with all of Kim’s challenges. He simply told her, “God & I had a long talk…”
Wayne constantly journaled his thoughts, and he noted how he was comforted when he heard Kim tell him, “Dad, I have an appointment with God.” She also pointed out how the hymn He Leadeth Me (by Joseph H. Gilmore in 1862) was special to her:
He leadeth me, O blessed thought
O words with heavenly comfort fraught
Whate’er I do, where’er I be
Still ’tis God’s hand that leadeth me
Sometimes mid scenes of deepest gloom
Sometimes where Eden’s bowers bloom
By waters still, over troubled sea
Still ’tis His hand that leadeth me
He leadeth me, He leadeth me
By His own hand He leadeth me
His faithful follower I would be
For by His hand He leadeth me
Lord, I would clasp thine hand in mine
Nor ever murmur nor repine
Content, whatever lot I see
Since ’tis thine hand that leadeth me
He leadeth me, He leadeth me
By His own hand He leadeth me
His faithful follower I would be
For by His hand He leadeth me
And when my task on earth is done
When by thy grace the victory’s won
Even death’s cold wave I will not flee
Since God through Jordan leadeth me
He leadeth me, He leadeth me
By His own hand He leadeth me
His faithful follower I would be
For by His hand He leadeth me
His faithful follower I would be
For by His hand He leadeth me
For by His hand He leadeth me
Wayne showed faith in action, and he was loyal to his family, friends, church, and community.
He was proud of Jennifer and me, and he followed NASA closely. In fact, he knew a lot about NASA’s business that I wasn’t even aware of. If you knew Wayne, you can relate to that…he knew more about most things than most of us because he was constantly reading and had an incredible memory for the details.
As a reader and learner myself, I appreciated Wayne’s love of learning. In fact, he wrote this on May 5th of this year, “With all of the interest now on completing academic work on-line due to school closings for the Corona-Virus, it’s time to examine my skills and interests in online education.” He never stopped learning.
We asked the Grandkids to share a few of their favorite memories of their Pop.
When our daughter was born and we named her Katelyn, Wayne proudly announced that he would call her “Kate” since he had an Aunt Kate he loved. Our Katy loved that Pop was the only person who ever called her Kate. She also appreciated that she could go to him for any homework question, especially 6th grade Greek mythology—where her parents weren’t any help. Katy continues Pop’s legacy in education as an Elementary Education major at Dallas Baptist University.
A little less than a year ago, our High School Senior Cody & I visited Texas Tech University and attended Pop’s Sunday School class. According to Cody, you could feel his passion for the Lord through his prayers and the way he shared the stories. He also had a unique way of tying in jokes with the Bible stories that his class will miss!
We have a fun memory of Tanner Wayne from several years back. Pop was at the Dining Table, awaiting the meal with a pill next to his plate. Tanner asked why he hadn’t taken the pill. Pop explained that he needed to take it on a full stomach. In one of those Kids Say the Darndest Things moments, Tanner gave him a puzzled look and said, “Pop, I thought your stomach was always full.” I can still hear Wayne laughing at that one.
On Wednesday, September 30, we were given a gift, as the nurse went the extra mile to coordinate a FaceTime call for Wayne with all 3 kids and us. When Tanner Wayne told him he had a girlfriend, Wayne offered the same advice he gave Cody about six years ago when he advised that you should break up with your girlfriend before Christmas and get back together after Valentine’s to save money. Cody, who tends to be our more frugal son, took that advice. Tanner is still pondering it…
Wayne had strong mental/physical health to the very end of his life and for that, we are grateful.
Wayne left an impact on his family, his church, and this community, and he definitely left us with a strong legacy.
As we remember Wayne’s life, may we all strive to finish as he did, hearing from His Heavenly Father, “Well done, good & faithful servant.”