Orville "Smokey" Wayne Cleveland

Orville Wayne “Smokey” Cleveland was born on June 6, 1941, in Odessa, Texas. He passed away peacefully on Friday, March 28, 2025, with his children, Rhonda, Bill, Pat, and brother Hal by his side. A funeral service will be held at Burleson Church of Christ on Monday, April 7, at 11:30am. Visitation will be held at Laurel Land Funeral Home on Sunday, April 6, from 3:00-5:00pm. The burial will take place on Monday, April 7, 2025, following the service, at Burleson Memorial Cemetery in Burleson, Texas.

Wayne Cleveland led a long life dedicated to God, his family, and his nation. He moved to Burleson with his parents Pete and Ruth Cleveland, and younger brother Max in 1949. He attended the Burleson Church of Christ with his family and in 1953 was baptized at the Burleson Church of Christ’s first building located at the corner of North Clark and East Renfro Streets. In 1959, he graduated from Burleson High School and immediately enlisted in the US Navy. Attending boot camp in San Diego, California, he also attended Hospital Corpsman A-School after graduating from boot camp.

With his new rating as a Hospital Corpsman his first assignment was at the US Naval Hospital, Beaufort, S.C. where he performed hospital duties tending for patients of the Navy, Marines and their family dependents. It was here he met and served with corpsmen that remained friends for the remainder of his life.

After two years of shore duty, he was transferred overseas to Naval Station Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, where he worked at the base dispensary, and divided his time supplementing the naval air station crash & fire-rescue squad as an ambulance driver and serving as the unit corpsman assigned to marine units as they performed security maneuvers around the perimeter of the base.

Wayne was discharged under honorable conditions in 1963 after returning to Naval Station Norfolk, VA, where he then returned to Burleson. Here he worked first for Alcon, and then at the Army National Guard Airfield, Eagle Mountain Lake on the fire rescue squad. With his lifelong friend, Bobby Bonham, they applied for positions on the Texas & Pacific Railroad. It was here he began a lifelong job working for the railroad being promoted from the position of Switchman to Conductor before he was medically retired as a result of a back injury. His new railroad friends gave him the name “Smokey," when asked what he used to do for the Army Airfield.

It wasn’t long after he started to work for the Texas & Pacific Railroad, he had to have surgery at the then All Saints Episcopal Hospital in Fort Worth and there he met a nursing student that became the love of his life. He was married to Betty Jean Salsbury on June 10, 1966, and they raised three children, Rhonda, William, and Patrick. Unfortunately, cancer took Betty on Christmas Eve in 1990. Wayne and Betty were married for 24 years.

After all of this, and as a widower, it never chipped away at his faith in God. As a matter of fact, it enhanced his faith. His membership in this congregation of the Burleson Church of Christ has been continuous since he was 12 years old. There are some that believe it makes him the second longest and continuous member of this congregation.

Smokey is survived by his daughter, Rhonda Scott (James), son, Bill Cleveland, son, Pat Cleveland, (Michelle).

Brothers, Max Cleveland (Deb), Hal Cleveland (Judy).

Grandsons, Jerod Bohon, Chace Bohon, Chad Bohon (Emily).

Cody and Travis Cleveland.

Granddaughter, Jamie Scott White (Billy)

GREAT Grandsons, Michael Bohon, (Niki), Gage Bohon, and Jensen Bohon.

Dan, Luke Boorman, great granddaughter Rosalie Boorman.

Wayne was preceded in death by his wife Betty Cleveland, parents, Pete and Ruth Cleveland, baby sister, Gay Lynn Cleveland.

Because of his decision to be a lifelong follower of Christ, and provide his family with a legacy of faith, we will not grieve as the world does, but we grieve with hope.