Heaven has a new star in it. Wayne passed away early the
morning of December 8 here at home. He was the love of my life, my rock, and my best
friend for 54 years. Tonight he is resting in peace, free from any
further pain.
Wayne Gerald Browning, 73, of Reidland (Paducah), KY, passed
away at home on December 8, 2015.
Wayne was born December 9, 1941 in Muscatine, Iowa, to
his parents, Carl Hershel and V. Maxine Furnas Browning Martin. He was raised
in Muscatine, Iowa, where he married Bonnie Kay Kirkland in 1963. Wayne
graduated from Muscatine High School, Muscatine Junior College, and the
University of Iowa.
Wayne worked for the JCPenney Company for more than 32 years
in Muscatine, Iowa City, Burlington, Dubuque, and Sioux City, Iowa; and
Greenwood, Indiana, in Personnel and Operations; and for Kitchens Inc. in
Paducah for 10 years as a computer designer for kitchen and bath cabinetry.
Wayne was an Army veteran, having served in Viet Nam from
1967-1968. In recent years, he enjoyed reunions with the veterans who served in
Viet Nam with him. In 2012 Wayne received a quilt from the Quilts of Valor
Foundation. In 2013, Bonnie and Wayne arranged for the other members in the
reunion to all receive a Quilt of Valor and a certificate of thanks for their
service. For many, this was the first thank you they had received for that
service.
Blessed with an easy-going manner, Wayne was able to relate
well with others. In his retirement, he enjoyed helping with the vendors as AQS
quilt shows where he loved being known as “Mr. Bonnie.” The vendors became part
of his extended family and each show was a time to catch up on what they were
doing. In April 1996, Mayor Albert Jones named Wayne and Bonnie as Duke and
Duchess of Paducah.
He enjoyed his leisure time by taking part in various
hobbies. His favorite pursuits were hunting pheasants and quail, and fishing
and waterskiing at the family cottage along the Mississippi River. He was handy
with car maintenance and repair and building tasks around the home. Wayne loved
ice skating and snow – he was known to scoop the entire subdivision’s sidewalks
with his new red tractor and blade when they lived in Greenwood, Indiana.
Wayne always was a lover of animals and cherished his pets –
his dog, Kemo, from his youth, to Kelly and Molly, a pair of Irish Setters, and
the two cats that adopted him, Whitesocks and Tuffy.
Wayne and Bonnie often traveled to quilting conferences
around the country; he also accompanied her on a trip to Japan, and quilting
cruises to the Caribbean and Mexican Riviera.
He is survived by his wife Bonnie, mother-in-law Mary E.
Kirkland, and brother-in-law and sisters-in-law, Gerry & Carol Kirkland,
Karen Kirkland Franzen, Don & Marcia Kirkland Ekin, and many nieces and
nephews. Wayne was preceded in death by his parents, brother James C. Browning,
and sister Kathleen Browning Beverlin.
Celebration of Life:
Memorials may be made to the Wayne Browning Memorial Fund,
c/o Bonnie Browning, 5815 Finley Ct, Paducah, KY 42003.
