Wayne D Stearns

Wayne Douglas Stearns, our Father and Grandfather, 98 years old, died February 18, 2020, at the Overland Court Dementia Care facility in Boise.

Wayne was born January 21, 1922, in Pierre, South Dakota, to Jessie Myrtle Pond and Howard Alvah Stearns. As a toddler, he came to the Boise valley, where he attended Cole Elementary and Franklin High School. Wayne met Naomi Eunice (Midge) Brock, and they were married July 22, 1942. Two months later, Wayne joined the Army Air Corp. and left his sweet wife to serve in the European theater as a radio op in Belgium. Three years later, on October 24, 1945, he returned to his wife in Boise, where they raised four children together. Wayne and Naomi were married for 68 years until her death in 2010.

After Wayne completed his service in the military, he successfully worked at many different jobs, Triangle Dairy, Clauncey Swan Construction, Western Construction, and later becoming a bricklayer with other family members. Wayne also made many great memories and friends working for MK Rivers Pipeline, as a mechanic for Gayle Construction, and an Instructor for the Operating Engineers School in Boise until his retirement.

Wayne loved and served each of his children, Larry (Doris) Stearns (deceased), Patty (John) Mangum of Tacna, Arizona, Steve (Joanie) Stearns of Boise, and Bruce (Angie) Stearns of Lebanon, Oregon. Wayne has 15 grandchildren, 35 great-grandchildren, and 4 great-great-grandchildren.