Carl Curtis Wayne, age 65, passed away on May 19, 2002 after a long battle with Alzheimer’s disease. He was born the only son of Virginia Mae Curry and Carl Leonard Wayne, on October 23, 1936 in San Diego CA.
A 1955 Sweetwater High School graduate, he was well known throughout National City, California for his accomplishments, both social and athletic. Carl played almost every sport in high school, and despite his height of just 5’6″, he excelled in football as a running back and in baseball as a leftfielder. He also lettered in track his sophomore year. He was a member of the Hi-Y and the Block S Society and served in the class legislature both his junior and senior year at Sweetwater.
In 1959 he was drafted into the United States Army and was stationed in Verona, Italy. In the summer, he coached the swim team on Lake Garda and in the winter he skied the alps while leading the Army Ski Team.
Upon his return to National city in 1963, he attended Southwestern College in Chula Vista, California and served as the school’s first ASB president. He returned to playing football, and was known as the “Old Guy” to his college teammates. He supported himself by coaching the National City Swim Team from the mid 1960’s through 1969. This was a job he loved and was known to have his young students prove their skills by diving off “The Clam” in La Jolla, California. [[ His new career in the restaurant business would take him to the California Bay Area]], a region he fell in love with, and then later Utah, where he ran the lodge at Snow Basin Ski Resort. In 1984 he moved back to California and in 1989, he came home again to live in National City. By this time, his disease had already begun to take hold, though he fought it off with good humor and courage.
He was an avid runner who ran several marathons, his last at the age of 52. His proudest running accomplishment was running in the Bay to Breakers race in San Francisco, California. Fittingly, this year’s event was held on the day he passed away.
When he wasn’t running, he was reading. He owned and read thousands of books. He was a walking encyclopedia. When on long road trips with his family, he would tell them about every mountain range, river and national monument they would encounter as if he were reading from a guide book. This amazing quality was also apparent, much to his family’s chagrin, in their inability to ever beat him in a game of Trivial Pursuit.
He loved the outdoors and hiked all over the world. Camping and hiking were among his favorite activities. He was a firm believer in environmental conservation, which he practiced in his own life.
He was an uncommon man with enormous complexity. He was extremely charming and warm and loved by everyone he met. He was an athlete, an intellectual, and an outdoorsman. Although Alzheimer’s slowly robbed him of all of these things, until it took his life, the man and everything he was, will live forever in the hearts of all who knew him.
- One should have insight into
- this world of dreams that passes
- in the twinkling of an eye.
Carl is survived by his wife of 16 years, Shay Wayne of National City. His children, Timothy Curtis Wayne of San Francisco, Mitchell Frost Wayne of National City, Jennifer Lynne Wayne-Schaeffer (Joe) of San Diego, Hattie Shay Wayne of National City. Three Grandchildren, Joey John, Jacob Jamus and Clara Lynne Schaeffer. Stepson Eric Bishop (Jennifer) of Preston, Minnesota. Private services were held June 8, 2002.
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