Wayne Francis Redding Sr. , 91, longtime Sawyer resident passed away peacefully on July 8, 2011 at the Souris Valley Care Center in Velva.

Wayne was born on January 11, 1920 in Sawyer, ND to Reuben and Hattie (Mills) Redding. Being the oldest of five boys meant leaving high school before graduation to help provide for the family. Wayne worked at the Faul Coal Mine for 1.5 years and the shipyards in California for two years. He served in the U.S. Army from November 13, 1944 until his honorable discharge from the 277th Quartermaster Truck Company on April 15, 1946. His wartime service included time in the southern Philippines and he received the Asiatic Pacific Service Medal, Victory Medal, Philippine Liberation Medal with one Bronze Service Star and a Good Conduct Medal and the military considered him an expert with the M1 rifle. Following his discharge he returned to Sawyer where he established his own trucking company. Wayne enjoyed a variety of jobs with his Chevy trucks and eventually expanded into the excavating business. He hauled gravel and coal, installed water and sewer lines, dug basements and graves, and pumped septic tanks. However, his greatest satisfaction came from driving school bus for the Sawyer School District for thirty-two years.

Wayne married Edna Bauman on April 6, 1939 in a Minot lutheran church parsonage. They made their home in Sawyer where they were the proud parents of seven children. During recent years at Brentwood, Valley View Manor and Souris Valley Care Center, Wayne would often be heard saying "She was such a good lady to me, this illness should never happen to someone as giving as mom." Wayne leaves us to remember his kindness to everyone.

Wayne attended the First Church of the Nazarene - Sawyer and was a member of the Sawyer Lions Club. He especially enjoyed playing checkers and whist and raising horses.

His family includes his loving wife of 72 years Edna; Children: Carol (Merv) Coil of Oklahoma City, OK; Wayne Jr. "Budd" (Carmen) Redding of Velva; Dennis (Carol) Redding of Sawyer; Roger (Linda) Redding of Bottineau; Sheryl (Lyle) Hunter of Thornton, CO; and Richard (Lorry) Redding of Wheatland, Wyoming; 16 grandchildren: Tim, Sandy, Maria, Carmen, Ryan, Elizabeth, Amy, Stacy, Michelle, Paul, Mark, Kevin, Jessica, Eric, Jennifer, and Nathan; 3 step-grandchildren: Alicia, Amber and Shannon; 41 great grandchildren, one great-great grandchild, Joslynn Smith; half-sister, Marjorie Eastman, Washington and a host of other relatives and friends.

Wayne was preceded in death by his parents, son Daryl, and four brothers: Ed, Ray, Roy and Loren.

Funeral Service: Wednesday, July 13, 2011 at 10:30 a.m. in First Church of the Nazarene - Minot.

Interment: Sawyer Community Cemetery.

Visitation: Tuesday from 2:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. in Thomas Family Funeral Home - Minot.

Memorials are preferred to First Church of the Nazarene Sawyer.