Tribute

Wayne died peacefully on August 10 after a sudden downturn in his years-long dementia. He was surrounded by friends and his wife, Jan, who held his hand to the end.

Wayne is survived by his wife, Jan Kreut, sons; Dave, Adam (grandsons Harrison and George), Andrew (granddaughter Hailey), and Bob and his wife Jamie; stepson Chris Phillips and his wife Heather (grandchildren Kaija, Maddux, James, Thomas, Henry & Jack), our extended family of children Dave (grandchildren Ty and CJ), Priscilla (granddaughter Emily), and Matthew (grandchildren Jade, Brooke and Cael), sister-in-law Charlene (niece Cherie), brother-in-law Ken; nieces (Doug) Lisa, and Kimberly, Jennifer and Rebecca, and many other family members. Wayne was predeceased by his brother Doug, nephew Trevor, and sister-in-law Katie. 

Wayne worked in a mill for a few years after high school, before travelling on a road trip to Quebec as a roadie for a band. When he returned, a friend asked if Wayne would fill in at a printing shop while someone was on vacation. Twenty-eight years later, he retired as a lithographer from Lawson Mardon in Richmond, BC.

He married Shirley Prentice in 1976 and had four sons with her. In July of 1987, Wayne met Jan in a driveway as she was moving out and he was moving in. Jan was a foster parent and Wayne was happy to be a foster parent as well when he married Jan almost 35 years ago.

In 1999, they moved to Oliver and continued for many years to foster children and later an adult with Downs Syndrome.

Known for his friendly and humorous nature, Wayne brought his wide array of jokes, costumes and even his own rubber chicken to the Oliver Kiwanis Club. He joined in 2000 and served as president three times over the next 10 years. He and Jan were both active at the Willowbrook Fire Department, where Wayne volunteered from 2003-2013. Their farm in Willowbrook saw many a festive occasion, with classic rock, creative themes and a lively basement tiki bar.

From 2010-2020 they wintered in South Texas, where Wayne brought his humour, music and dress-up parties to many new friends.

The family is very grateful for the support of Dr. Nygaard and Dr. Genge from the UBC Alzheimers & Dementia Clinic, the wonderful care from the Oliver Ambulance Service, the SOGH emergency department, hospital staff and Dr. Kane who treated Wayne with great dignity and respect in the last week of his life.

In lieu of flowers, donations to https://www.centreforbrainhealth.ca/ways-to-give/#funds or a charity of your choice would be greatly appreciated.

A Celebration of Life will be held at 2:00 pm, Saturday, September 16 at Park Drive Church in Oliver, BC. Please bring your best joke or story of Wayne to share that will make us laugh.