Wayne Wolter

With a life that spanned times of great change in the world around him, Wayne Wolter lived life to the fullest each day while holding his loved ones near. He had a strong work ethic, but he was never one to worry about building wealth as it was fully experiencing some of the best things that life has to offer that was his main focus. A devoted husband and loving father, Wayne looked forward to being with his family whenever he could and was known for doing anything and everything to enrich their lives in a positive way. He was a man of faith who was an active part of the community he highly valued. Life will never be the same without Wayne here, but his timeless legacy will be proudly carried on by those who follow in his footsteps.

Since the late 1930s WWII had been gaining momentum overseas. America was trying to pull out of the Great Depression that had plagued us throughout that decade, and as the 1940s arrived there was great hope on the horizon. The first peacetime draft took effect on October 16, 1940, although it wasn’t until the attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, that countless young servicemen and women were sent overseas to fight for the preservation of freedom. It was also in 1940 that a young couple from Chicago Heights, Illinois, was filled with great joy to announce the birth of their healthy baby boy on April 30th. Wayne R. was one of three boys born to his parents, Arnold and Valderine Wolter, and he was raised in the family home alongside his brothers, Larry and Ralph.

In many ways Wayne experienced a typical upbringing for the youth of his generation. His parents were both hard working farmers, which instilled within Wayne a desire to work hard. As a student Wayne attended local schools including Grant Park High School. After graduating, he continued his education at University of Illinois, graduating with a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering.

With his education behind him, Wayne was poised for a successful and rewarding career. He started out working in the highway division for the State of Illinois. Wayne’s work later took him to Azzarelli Construction and Kankakee Valley Construction Company where he remained until retiring in 2005.

While he was busy paving the way for a bright future, Wayne’s life was forever changed when he met the young woman with whom he would write a love story that would span nearly 50 years. Her name was Charlotte J. Bergmann, and it wasn’t long after meeting that the couple found themselves deeply in love. With a desire to establish a life together Wayne and Charlotte became husband and wife on January 29, 1966.

There was nothing that meant more to Wayne than his loved ones. Together he and Charlotte were thrilled to welcome three children into their hearts and home including Todd, Trent, and Tricia. Although he had several responsibilities, being there for his children was something Wayne intentionally made time for. One of his favorite things to do was to play catch with his boys while they were learning the ins and outs of baseball. Both boys were pitchers, and Wayne was always their catcher. He didn’t have all the traditional catcher’s gear as he only his catcher’s mitt and an old piece of carpet to sit on. Through the years Wayne took countless wild pitches to his shins, knees, chest, arms, and even his face, and although he usually muttered a few choice words he simply tossed the ball back and got situated on his carpet for the next pitch - wild or otherwise. To this day his boys give a good amount of credit to their dad for their success in baseball. Furthermore, all three of his children will be forever grateful for the wonderful example Wayne provided as they have become honorable, trustworthy, and successful adults. Later in life he was filled with unspeakable joy to welcome five grandchildren into the family: Justin, Bret, Taylor, Ashley, and Tyler. His grandchildren made Wayne so very proud, and he came to as many of their games and events as he could.

In addition to working outside of the home, Wayne was an active part of his community. For several years he was an active member of Our Savior Lutheran Church in Bradley where he served as a treasurer. In addition, Wayne was on the Bourbonnais Elementary School Board for a number of years, was a member of the Bradley Jr. Lions Football League for more than 25 years, was a member and past president of the Kankakee Colt Baseball League as well as a member of the Azzareli Keyman Club, an organization for professional engineers. With a love for the arts, Wayne enjoyed going to the symphony. At home he could often be found reading his kindle, and he also liked watching various building and car shows on television.

Equipped with a zest for life that was contagious to those who were within his reach, Wayne Wolter was a blessing to those around him. He was generous with his time, devoted to his family, and more than willing to work hard in everything he did. A man who was content in all things, Wayne will be deeply missed while his memory is forever treasured.

Wayne R. Wolter, of Herscher, died on July 16, 2014. Wayne’s family includes his wife, Charlotte of Herscher; their children: Todd Wolter of Herscher, Trent (Lorrie Tibbetts) Wolter of Chatfield, MN, and Tricia (Robb) Zoarski of Burlington, IA; five grandchildren: Justin Wolter of Herscher, Bret and Taylor of Colorado Springs, CO and Ashley and Tyler of Chatfield, MN; and brother and sister-in-law, Ralph (Marcia) Wolter of Morris, IL. Wayne was preceded in death by his parents and one brother, Larry Wolter. A time for family and friends to gather will be held at the Kankakee Chapel of the Schreffler Life Story Funeral Homes, Thursday, July 24, 2014, from 4-8 p.m. and a funeral service will be celebrated Friday, July 25, 2014, at Our Savior Lutheran Church in Bradley at 11 a.m. Memorials may be made to the Our Savior Lutheran Church in Bradley or to Donor’s Choice.