Wayne was a great teacher and friend. He never taught me in a classroom, I met him through a church Youth Club 27 years ago. It was December 1981 and he was going to be our new youth club leader. It is a testament to the success of that club that many of my friends came from that youth club 27 years ago (Gus, Prue, Wesley, Frank, Peter, Brett and Wayne). Wayne brought us all together.
Wayne taught us many things. Not all I can repeat here.
I liked Wayne from the very first moment I met him. Wayne had a wonderful ability to put people at ease. He was enthusiastic about life – he loved learning about things and his mind was always active. Wayne truly cared about his friends, his students, and his colleagues. This is why he was a great teacher and friend; this is why many of us are here.
I can remember talking to Wayne about going into teaching very early on. The way Wayne followed his dream of becoming a teacher was inspiring to me personally, as it was too many around him. I was amazed at how young Wayne was when he graduated from University, he was only 19, I believe! He was obviously dedicated to his profession and from the feedback that I got from the many ex-students of his that I met, he was talented, passionate and compassionate, well prepared and knew his subjects well. He was a great teacher.
Wayne gave us his time and lots of it. He listened to us and let us know that he cared about us in subtle ways. He took us seriously. He cared about what we were saying and doing, and when we did something good, he praised us - and you knew he meant it. Nothing made Wayne happier than seeing us do well. He was a great friend.
As I was sorting through the pictures for today I noticed that many were taken at parties, at restaurants, weddings or weekend’s away. These were significant events in our lives, although at the time they may not have seemed so, but they are now and Wayne was always there for us.
Wayne also travelled extensively. I had photos, cards and letters from his trips to Europe, Africa, India, South America and his many trips to Asia. His love of travel rubbed off on many of those around him. Wayne loved to go away for the weekend, to camp or bushwalk. We took many hikes together including some very long walks up The Grampians the Victorian Alps, along the Great South Walk or down at Portland.
The way he walked exemplified his approach to life in general. Gus, Wayne and I once climbed Mt Bogong the highest mountain in Victorian Alps, up a very steep track known as the Staircase. Both Wayne and Gus hurt their knees and ankles quite badly in falls very early into the climb but Wayne would not give up, urging upward forever upward. I remember we camped half way up the mountain on the first night in near freezing miserable snowing conditions and he was in quite alot of pain, but he never discussed turning back. This was one of Wayne’s greatest strength s, his persistence and determination, and Gus and I saw it on that climb. He was going to get to the top of that mountain no matter how hard it was going be. How he got to the top I will never understand.
Another memorable walk was from Marysville to Warburton via the Acheron Way. Thanks to Gus’s planning we arrived late, started walking after dark, climbing boundary fences, wadding through chest deep lakes, covered in leeches, and soon hopelessly lost. Fortunately Wayne the geography teacher, who could actually read a map, discovered we were in the water catchment for O’ Shanneesey Reservoir (illegally walking- mind you- and risking hundreds of dollars in fine each!). But it soon turned into the most beautiful walk, through the tallest hardwood trees in the world. Wayne made us stop and appreciate the mountain ash on this walk and the fern gullies and luckily we got home o.k.
Wayne approached his cancer the same way. Whilst I wasn’t confident that he would be OK, I really did expect him to survive – I knew just how truly strong he was both physically and mentally and I was counting on that.
Over the past year Wayne had to undergo extensive chemotherapy. There is no doubt that would have put him in a fragile state of mind with many scary moments – he often ran a high fever and was fighting off infections for some time. We talked on the phone about his treatment which he always approached it with that same determined attitude.
The last time I saw Wayne, late last month, his prognosis was not so good, however when Wayne walked to the door he still smiled - that beautiful smile! And Wayne put me at ease.
He still had a determined look in his eyes. He made plans for this summer to see all his friends. There was so much that I was looking forward to doing with him.
Then the last Thursday he was gone. I'll miss the things we did, but I'll miss far more the things we'll never do.
I admired Wayne for the things he could do, his talents, his strengths, his abilities. I loved him for his warm manner, his enthusiasm, his sense of humour, and for the way he looked out for us and the beautiful caring things he said and did. And I don’t want all those these moments to be lost in time....and I don’t think Wayne would have wanted that. I want to celebrate the live of a great friend of mine, a brave caring warm friend
As I get older I have learnt to value my friends more and more, because, of all the things in this world none is better than friendship and Wayne was my friend, which is why I will miss him.
“The life given us by nature is short, but the memory of a life well spent is eternal.” Cicero.
