Harold Wayne Way, 91, of Danville passed away at 12:05 PM on Saturday, November 11, 2023 at Goldwater Nursing Home.
Wayne was born on December 22, 1931 the son of Benjamin Harold and Mildred Elizabeth (Watson) Way in Rossville, IL. He was united in marriage to Frances Ellen Crook on March 1, 1952 by Dr. Paul Benjamin at Prairie Green Church of Christ in Wellington. Frances preceded him in death on February 5, 2020, just three weeks before their 68th wedding anniversary.
Wayne has two surviving daughters, Sue Ellen (Doug) Wagoner of Hoopeston, IL and Mary Lou (Hopper) White of Alvin, IL. Wayne is also the proud grandpa of five grandsons, Ryan (Chiara) White of Los Gatos, CA, Dustin (Julianne) White of Carlinville, IL, Travis (Marissa) White of Decatur, IL, Aaron (Terra) Troglia of Danville, IL, and Jacob (Lacy Greene) Troglia of Danville, IL.
Wayne also cherished his fourteen great-grandchildren, Reagan, Grace, Bella, Luxin, and Wesley Troglia, Cayden, Eli, Annalise, Ella, Jonathan, Annagrace, Henry, Owen, and Avery White. Wayne has one surviving brother, Lyle (Pam) Way of Indianapolis, IN as well as many nieces and nephews that he loved and enjoyed.
Wayne is preceded in death by his parents, wife, Frances Way and one sister, Thelma (Ray) Wesley. Also waiting to welcome him to Heaven are his twin great-grandsons, Dallas and Carter Troglia.
Wayne grew up on a farm near Rossville, IL and attended Pleasant View Grade School and graduated from Rossville High School. He and Frances owned a farm North of Potomac, IL. After selling the farm and moving to Rossville, Wayne worked in the Maintenance Department at TeePak. Wayne and Frances enjoyed taking tickets at the David S. Palmer Civic Center for 33 years. Wayne was a member of the Central Park Church of Christ in Tilton, the Rossville Historical Society, the Vermilion County Farm Bureau and the Vermilion County Museum.
Wayne and Frances faithfully followed their five grandsons’ activities and continued to the next generation as they followed the great-grandchildren’s ball games, musicals and parties. Wayne had an impressive farm toy collection dominated by John Deere equipment. He loved God, his family, being a farmer, animals, reading, listening to music, doing the newspaper puzzles and genealogy. Like so many people of Wayne’s generation, he was a hard and dependable worker and was an honest, generous, kind man.
A Celebration of Life will be held at 11:00 AM on Thursday, November 16, 2023 at Sunset Funeral Home and Cremation Center in Danville, Illinois, 3940 N Vermilion St. Danville, IL 61834. Pastor Gary Milton will officiate. Burial will be in Mann’s Chapel Cemetery. Visitation will be held from 9-11:00 AM on Thursday, November 16, 2023 at the funeral home.
In lieu of flowers, Memorials donations may be made to the Rossville Historical Society, 103 W. Attica St P.O. Box 263 Rossville, IL 60963, the American Legion Post 210 Honor Guard, 201 Prospect Place, Danville, IL 61832 or a charity of the donor’s choice.
Please join Wayne’s family in sharing memories, photos and videos on his tribute wall at www.sunsetfuneralhome.com
