Wayne E. German Obituary (1937

Wayne Edwin German was called home on Friday, December 4th at Saint Joseph's Medical Center, Bloomington. A private graveside ceremony will be held at McDowell Cemetery with Pastor Mary officiating. A celebration of life will be held at a later date. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Dwight United Methodist Church. Hager Memorial will oversee arrangements. Wayne was born September 21, 1937, the son of Russell and Rella (Swaney) German. He was raised on a farm in Nokomis, Illinois and was the youngest boy of eight children. He married his childhood sweetheart and love of his life, Glenda Zeifang on June 30, 1957. He is survived by his wife, Glenda. Children, Kathy (Tony) Johnson, Mark (Donna) German, Gail (Mike) Humbert and Denise Banks. Grandchildren Jennifer (Justin) Rhodes, Samantha (Sam) Williamson, Andrew German, Kelli (Brandon) Schlegel, Stephanie (Clayton) Parkhill, Carson Banks (Megan Hillis), and Blake Banks. Great-grandchildren, Taylor, Aubrey and Kaden Rhodes, Maisie and Wrenley Schelgel and Theodore Parkhill. He was preceded in death by his parents, six brothers and his only sister. Wayne worked for Caterpillar Tractor Company from 1956 until his retirement in 1989. He was involved with the Boy Scouts of America and was assistant scoutmaster for years. He received the Order of the Arrow and Silver Beaver Awards as well as serving as a committee member. For years, he took his Troop camping in Canada for their annual camping trip. To this day, we still hear stories about those trips. He was a member of the Dwight United Methodist Church. He was a member of Methodist Men, served on the Property Committee, Staff Parish, Building and Parsonage Committee, Trustee and Ad Board and played on the dart-ball team. He additionally was instrumental in coordinating donations and pickup for the Mountain Mission. He was on the chain gang and timekeeper for the high school football team. He started keeping score for the boys high school basketball team in 1974 and was inducted in the Dwight High School Hall of Fame for over 40 years of service at more than 2,000 basketball games. He was an avid golfer, loved farming in the fall, helping anyone anyway he could and there wasn't a thing he could not fix.