Kenneth “Wayne” Thomason, 93, of Warrensburg, Missouri, died Monday, March 9, at Warrensburg Manor Care Center.
Funeral Services will be 11:30 a.m. Friday, March 13, at Williams Funeral Chapel in Warrensburg with Pastor Daniel Frey of Gethsemane Lutheran Church in Lee’’s Summit officiating. Interment will follow in the Missouri State Veterans Cemetery in Higginsville with full military honors provided by Veterans of Foreign Wars, Post 2513 and American Legion, Post 131. Pallbearers will be Joe Sloan, Joe Vogt, Don Dougherty, Bob Compton, Carl Lovall and Ernie Wilson.
Visitation will be from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. Friday at the funeral chapel.
Wayne was born March 3, 1922, in Chilhowee, Missouri, the son of William Langford Thomason and Fern Lois (Shimmel) Thomason. At the age of 3, he moved with his family to Clinton, Missouri. They returned to Chilhowee when Wayne was 15. He graduated from Chilhowee High School. He served in the United States Army Air Corp during World War II. He was a pilot and he flew 141 missions. He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for his military service. Wayne owned and operated Thomason’s Market in Chilhowee for 40 years. At 65, he was contacted by Stahl’s Specialty Company to come to work for them. He worked for Stahl’s for the next 15 years, retiring at a little over 80 years of age.
He was a lifelong member of the American Legion and Veterans of Foreign Wars and he also a member of the Masons for over 40 years. He rode motorcycles for several years. At 53, Wayne sold his motorcycle and took up bicycle riding. He took an interest in woodcarving when he was 73. He enjoyed remote control airplanes and he was also a ham radio operator. Wayne is survived by his dear friend Harvey Howell and wife, Dorothea, of Warrensburg, and several nieces and nephews.
Memorial contributions are suggested to Gethsemane Lutheran Church in care of the funeral chapel.