Beloved husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, and jokingly self-proclaimed \"old curmudgeon\" Wayne Decker passed away on June 24, surrounded by the profound love of his family. His frank kindness and humor carried him through life and its challenges, including those due to his recent illness.
Wayne was born September 25, 1925, in Salt Lake City, the son of Evelyn Snow Decker and Wayne Decker. He loved the outdoors and spent idyllic boyhood summers at the family cabin in the Uinta mountains. He loved to share this \"little piece of heaven\" with his children and grandchildren. Wayne attended East High School, Utah State University, and New York University. During World War II, he became a Lieutenant in the Army and served in Munich, Germany. He was a Captain in the Utah Air National Guard during the Korean War and later retired as a Major.
He married LaVon Clive on August 18, 1947, in the Salt Lake Temple. After working for his father\s jewelry company, Wayne became an air traffic controller in the early years of the Salt Lake Air Traffic Control Center, and finished his 33-year career with the FAA as an assistant chief. He was also a director of the Utah Portland Cement Company for many years.
He loved skiing powder, flyfishing the Weber, swimming, backpacking, hunting deer and duck, playing tennis and basketball; many of these activities he shared with his wife and four children who have great memories of fun times and outdoor adventures. His office walls are lined with tennis trophies and awards, and he relished golfing bi-weekly with the FAA gang. He was a student of history with a keen interest in ancient civilizations. Extensive travels with his wife, family and friends continued to foster those interests over the years.
His main concern in almost everything he did was how he could help his family.
Wayne is survived by his wife LaVon; brother Ashby Decker; sister Marjorie Horton; his children Bruce, Bret and Lori; six grandchildren; five great-grandchildren and many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents, sister Mary Bott, brother Jack Decker, and son, Joseph Wayne Decker.
In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to a charity in his name or the Missionary Fund of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Graveside service at Salt Lake City Cemetery, Tuesday, June 28th.
Entering the cemetery on 4th Avenue and \"N\" Street, the directions to the grave are: take MainSt. to Grande Ave, go East to Central, turn North to 330 North, and then turn West and go to the grave.
