New Star in Heaven

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.