He planned to be a forester

Plan to be a forester. That was BHS’68 Wayne Wyatt‘s statement for the Senior Index at the back of the Ceralbus. Today we found his obituary on the Horan and Conaty funeral home website:

Wayne Wyatt, June 10, 1949 – December 4, 2013

Wayne H. Wyatt, 64 of Arvada, Colorado, passed away on December 4, 2013, of a massive heart attack. Wayne was born on June 10, 1949, in Los Angeles, California, to Rufus and Marion Wyatt. He had an older brother, Warren. He grew up in Burbank, California. When he was 16 years old, he professed to serve God. He was a smoke jumper right after high school then started working at Forest Lawn in California then at the City of Burbank Parks Department. He met Joyce Morrison when she was working in Burbank. Wayne and Joyce married on August 8, 1970, in Bayfield, Colorado. One year later, they welcomed their first daughter, Glenda, to the family. They lived in California about a year after she was born then moved to Bayfield, Colorado, for a short time where Wayne worked for La Plata County and operated road graders and plow trucks. They then moved to the Denver area and stayed briefly with dear friends Bill and Rene Hartman before moving to Aurora and holding various jobs. There, they had a premature baby girl named Mirenda who passed away shortly after birth on July 16, 1973. On Glenda’s 2nd birthday (August 29, 1973), Wayne started working at the City of Arvada Parks Department. He worked at the City for 40+ years.

In November, 1973, they moved to Arvada to their current home. Their daughter, Tonya, was born in 1975 and son, Stan, was born in 1979. He served as a father figure for many kids over the years. In 2003, Wayne earned his favorite title of being a Papa to Brooklin and happily welcomed grandson Traybin in 2011.

Wayne enjoyed hunting and camping and spending time with his family and did side sprinkler jobs most of his life. He served as President of the Arvada Cemetery for a while and was a board member on several ditches over the years. He really enjoyed working with the Horse Protection League. Wayne even played Santa Claus a few years with a little persuasion for the City of Arvada and helped deliver gifts to needy children for Lighting up the Holidays. He always loved kids.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Rufus and Marion Wyatt, and his daughter Mirenda. He is survived by his wife Joyce, his daughter Glenda and her husband Darrell McCord, his daughter Tonya, and his son Stan and his wife Jenni and their children Brooklin and Traybin. He is also survived by his older brother Warren, his wife Sue as well as many brother- and sister-in-laws, nieces and nephews.

Visitation will be Monday, December 9, 2013, from 6PM-8PM at Horan & McConaty Family Chapel, 7577 West 80th Avenue, Arvada. His Funeral Service will be held on Tuesday, December 10, 2013 at 1:00 PM, also at Horan & McConaty Family Chapel. Interment to follow at Arvada Cemetery at 2:30 PM, 5581 Independence Street, Arvada, Colorado. Reception to follow Interment back at Horan & McConaty.

We extend our deepest sympathy to Wayne’s family and friends.

Unfortunately Wayne was one of a handful of Burbank High School 1968 graduates whose senior photo was not in the Ceralbus. Others who are missing senior photos (so far) include Steve Gleason, Christine Cullen, Monty Morgan, Steven Lester, and Carol Cooke, the graduates who have contacted us about attending the 50th Class Reunion.