Wayne Mckie

Wayne McKie was born March 6, 1922 west of Akron, Colorado to Ray and Letha (Jackson) McKie, being the eldest of eight children. He passed away July 13, 2017 in Arvada, Colorado at the age of 95. He attended school in Akron, graduating from the Akron High School in 1940, and attained an associate degree from Northeastern Junior College in Sterling. Wayne married Florence Carver on April 14, 1941 in Benkelman, Nebraska. Five children were born to this union: Marvin Lee, Phyllis Arlene, Priscilla JoAnne, Ted Wayne and Michael Jay. He spent War II at Peterson Field, Army Air Corp Base at Colorado Springs and later served as a member of the Air Reserve for twelve years. Wayne was a life time member of the American Legion and served in several offices including Commander. In 1947, with his young family, he moved to the U. S. Agricultural Research Station at Akron where he was employed for three years. Then he served at the Archer and Sheridan Research Stations in Wyoming. In 1953 Wayne was still with the Department of Agriculture now in the U. S. Soil Conservation Service. Headquartered in Akron, his primary duty was to assist the Cope Conservation District. In 1963 he was transferred to the Walsenburg, Colorado Work Unit. By 1964 he was again at the Akron office and remained there until his transfer in 1970, as District Conservationist, to Cheyenne Wells, Colorado, and represented the Soil Conservation Service in Cheyenne County and the Cheyenne Conservation District. Retirement from this position occurred in 1977 to a farm north of Akron. Farming was his passion from early childhood as he learned the love of the soil from his father and grandfather. In 1948 he was ordained an elder of the Akron Presbyterian Church. For many years he attended the Akron Baptist Church. He quoted Mark 16:16 as his reason for being baptized by immersion on April 20, 2005. His ready laughter and good humor was the legacy he imparted to his children and grandchildren. Where family and friends gather there is sure to be an abundance of both. He was preceded in death by his parents and two brothers, his son Ted in 1995, and his wife Florence in 2011. He will be missed by sons Lee (Janette) and Jay, daughters Phyllis (Tom) Cheski and JoAnne (Richard) Barry, sisters Lucile Nitzel, Mary Lou (Bob) Carver, Nancy (Alton) Reed and brothers Eugene, and Allen, six grandchildren, seventeen great-grandchildren, and nine great-great grandchildren. Memorial funds may be sent to the charity of your choice. A memorial service will be held at the Akron Baptist Church at 1:30 P. M. on August 5.