Obituary of Wayne Nash

Wayne Nash, 87 formerly of Cedar Rapids and Coralville, died Sunday, June 22, 2008, in Meridian, Mississippi. Memorial services will be held at 10:30 a.m., Saturday, July 19, 2008, at the Shueyville United Methodist Church with burial with military honors at the Anderson Cemetery near Swisher. Visitation will be one hour prior to the services at the church. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations can be made in Wayne’s memory to the American Diabetes Association. Online condolences may be sent for his family through the web @ www.gayandciha.com. Wayne was born February 28, 1921, in Minneapolis, MN. Following graduation from high school, he entered the United States Navy in 1940 beginning a long, distinguished career that would span over twenty years. He served in both World War II and the Korean Conflict, retiring at the rank of Master Chief Petty Officer (E-9) in 1960. He was a Pearl Harbor Survivor and participated in the Battles of Midway and Guadalcanal as a PBY Catalina aircrewman. Wayne witnessed the Japanese surrender of Truk Island and also participated in many rescue missions while flying in the South Pacific. Wayne was one of two individuals to become the first ever in the history of the U.S. Navy to be promoted to Master Chief Petty Officer in the Air Controlman (AC) rating Upon his retirement from active duty, he served in the FAA as an Air Traffic Controller in Kansas City, MO, Cedar Rapids, IA, Chadron, NE and Cape Girardeau, MO airports and centers before retiring from Civil Service in 1972. He was united in marriage to Alice M. Schropp on November 4, 1964 in East Dubuque, Iowa. Following retirement, Wayne, Alice and family resided predominantly in Iowa, Nebraska and Missouri before permanently settling along the Gulf Coast of Mississippi. Wayne enjoyed life, a passion for vintage cars, aviation and meteorology. Rarely was there a day that passed that Wayne could not be seen listening to the aviation weather reports or tuning to the Weather Channel. His family includes his two sons, Michael Nash and his wife, Cassie of Leonardtown, MD; and Greg Nash of Westport, WI; step-children, Rodney Roshek and his wife, Rosie of Wright City, MO, and Darla Heuring and her husband, Jesse of Boaz, KY; grandchildren, Brendan Nash, Carson Nash, Brandi Jones, Christie Kidd, Ryan Roshek, and Randy Roshek. Wayne was preceded in death by his parents, wife, Alice on March 12, 1987, and a brother and sister. Gay & Ciha Funeral and Cremation Service is caring for Wayne’s family and his services.