Wayne Everett Lein, 88, of Belmond, Iowa, passed away Monday January 30th, 2023 at home with his loving family at his side following a lengthy health decline.
Wayne Lein was born June 16, 1934 at Kanawha, IA, the son of Oscar and Alice (Ellingston) Lein. He was baptized and confirmed in his youth, commencing a lifelong faith journey. Wayne attended Kanawha School and graduated from Kanawha High School in the Class of 1953.
A few years later Wayne enlisted in the United States Air Force in Des Moines, IA. He dedicated the next four years of service to his country and was Honorably Discharged as a Staff Sergeant on October 20, 1958 at Nellis Air Force Base in Las Vegas, NV. He received the Good Conduct Medal and had spent part of his military tenure as a Jet Fighter Mechanic.
Upon returning to civilian life, Wayne was united in marriage to Jean Mae Tendall, at the Morgan Lutheran Church in rural Dows, IA on July 3, 1964. Their union was blessed with two daughters, Janine and Paula.
Following their marriage the couple lived in Belmond, IA for a short time before moving their family to Goodell. Eventually they returned to Belmond after building their current home in 1996.
Wayne was a dedicated employee at Central Soya in Belmond for 34 years. He took great pride in his work and could always be counted on to keep the company running smoothly.
Wayne’s wife and family were first and foremost in his life, he truly relished the role of husband, dad, grandpa, and great grandpa. He very much enjoyed supporting them in all their life endeavors and took great pride in all their successes. Wayne was a respectful, humble man who was loyal to his family, faith and his communities. He was truly a gentleman, well thought out and soft spoken.
Over the years he had served on the Goodell City Council and was a lifelong member of the American Legion in Goodell. He and Jean were long time members of Trinity Lutheran Church where he served as the role of an usher.
He and Jean looked forward to fishing trips to Lake Winnibigoshish, along with many memorable family fishing excursions to Pelican Lake, MN over the years. Wayne very much loved the outdoors and all the wonders of nature. He looked forward to trips to the fields, marshes and woods where he’d hunt pheasants, ducks, rabbits and other game. He had a special gift and talent for woodcarving, creating many one-of-a-kind decoys and other beautiful and meticulously crafted pieces of art.
He very much enjoyed the simple things in life most of which involved time spent with his life partner Jean, his daughters and the grandkids. He enjoyed family meals together, dining out, playing cribbage, cards and nearly anything that was in their presence. In more recent years as he went through health battles, he spent many hours bird watching and looking for other wildlife near his home on the southwest edge of Belmond City limits.
Those left to cherish Wayne’s memory include his wife of nearly 59 years, Jean Lein of Belmond, IA; daughters Paula (Kurt) Logue of Adel, IA, and Janine (Jeremy) Mouw of Webster City, IA; a brother Kenneth Lein of Lake Mills, IA; 7 grandchildren and 3 great grandchildren, along with many nieces and nephews.
Wayne was preceded in death by his parents Oscar and Alice, as well as his sisters: Opal (Edward “Ed”) Peterson, Ruth (Richard “Dick”) Ersland, and Marjorie (William Jr. “Bill”) Sheriff, along with his brothers: Lu Verne Lein and Arlan (Freda) Lein.
Public funeral services will be held at Trinity Lutheran Church of Belmond, IA on Saturday February 4th, 2023 at 11:00 AM. The Reverend Katie Pals will be officiating. Burial with full military honors will be held at the Amsterdam Cemetery in Kanawha, IA. A public visitation will be held from 10:00 AM until the time of the service Saturday at the church.
Those wishing to express their sympathies through a memorial in Wayne’s memory can do so through Trinity Lutheran Church-Belmond or the Goodell American Legion.
Andrews Funeral Homes, Belmond, IA. www.andrewsfuneralhomeandfloral.com 641-444-4474
