C. Wayne Godsey

On June 2, 2024, we lost our cherished husband, father, grandfather, and friend, C. Wayne Godsey (“Wayne” or “Grandaddy”). After successfully holding cancer at bay for nearly a decade, Wayne passed peacefully in his sleep in the presence of his loving wife, Anne (Ruzicka). In addition to Anne, Wayne is survived by his 3 children, Becky Godsey, Patti (Christopher) Walker, and Tom (Missy) Godsey, his 9 grandchildren, Ella and Charlie Herb, Caroline, Mack, Maeve, and Wells Walker, Louis, Rosemary, and Lenny Godsey, and his nephew, Sean (Tonya) Lawson. Wayne spent his final weeks surrounded by family at his home in Leawood, Kansas, with frequent visits from children and grandchildren, and watching the occasional Kansas City Royals game.

Born to Frances and Carl Dodge Godsey in Lynchburg, Virginia, on August 5, 1946, Wayne spent his formative years in Stuart, Virginia with his parents, his sister, Debi, and, before passing away as an infant, his brother, Larry. Wayne didn’t stray far for college, becoming the first in his family to earn a college degree when he graduated from Lynchburg College in Virginia. During college, Wayne worked at a local radio station as a disc jockey, announcer and programmer under the tutelage of station news director and future ABC network news anchor, Charlie Gibson. After proudly serving his country in the National Guard following college, Wayne moved to Charlotte, North Carolina to become one of the youngest news directors in the country for WSOC-TV. From Charlotte, Wayne moved to New York City in the mid-70s where he served as a reporter and producer for Newsweek Broadcasting.

In the late 70s, Wayne took the position of news director at WTMJ in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. This was the foundational decision of his life, as it sparked a string of leadership roles managing television stations throughout the country and, more importantly, was the place he met his wife of nearly 45 years. This served as the starting point for the two most important pillars in Wayne’s life, his family and his Catholic faith.

All three of Wayne and Anne’s children were born in Milwaukee, where Wayne also established a number of lifelong friendships, a consistent theme of all the different places Wayne lived throughout his life. Shortly after the birth of Tom, the family moved to Albuquerque, New Mexico, where Wayne served as General Manager for KOAT-TV for six years. In addition to nurturing his family and career, Wayne became an instrument rated pilot, taking the family on many trips in his 6-seater Bonanza.

Wayne was soon promoted to Executive Vice President of Pulitzer Broadcasting, taking him and his family to St. Louis, Missouri. The Godsey family received a hearty welcome in St. Louis, the childhood home of Anne and the home of many of her 13 brothers and sisters and their families. The accolades and opportunities continued to flourish for Wayne in St. Louis throughout the 1990s. He was one of a handful of American broadcasters in the country selected to travel to the former Soviet Union to train managers of independent TV stations, he received the Distinguished Alumni Award from Lynchburg College, and he attended the Super Bowl with his son, Tom, the Olympics in Atlanta with his daughter, Becky, and the David Letterman and Rosie O’Donnell shows in New York City with his daughter, Patti.

With the sale of Pulitzer to Hearst in the late 90’s, Wayne made the final move of his career, to Kansas City to run the ABC affiliate, KMBC 9. Kansas City endeared itself to Wayne, and he to it, with many cherished memories and honors throughout his time there, including joining the Knights of Malta and receiving the Kansas Association of Broadcasters Distinguished Service Award. Wayne adopted the Kansas City Royals, Chiefs, and Kansas Jayhawks as his sports teams.

Wayne had the retirement of his dreams. For almost the last 15 years of his life, Wayne and Anne lived a portion of their lives in Bonita Springs, Florida, yet another community where they established great roots and friendships. They played golf, enjoyed the weather, and watched an endless number of sunsets fall over the Gulf of Mexico. During that time, Wayne became the proud grandfather (“Grandaddy") of 9 grandchildren. Wayne had the good fortune to know and love each of his grandchildren. It was his life’s joy.

Up until the end, Wayne was continuously grateful for his full life and many blessings, which are evident. He will be forever remembered, forever celebrated, and forever missed.

In lieu of flowers, Wayne’s family requests memorial gifts to the Innovation Fund for the Saint Luke’s Foundation, in the care of Dr. Vincent Lem and the Hospital In Your Home Program, which provided Wayne so much comfort in his final day. Online memorial gifts may be made at saintlukeskc.org/donate or to Saint Luke’s Foundation, 901 E. 104th Street, Kansas City, MO 64131, in the name of C. Wayne Godsey.

Wayne’s visitation will be held from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM on Wednesday, June 5, 2024 at the McGilley State Line Chapel, 12301 State Line Road, Kansas City, MO 64145. His Mass of Christian Burial will begin at 10:00 AM, Thursday, June 6, 2024 at Church of the Nativity, 3800 W. 119th Street, Leawood, KS 66209, with interment immediately following in Resurrection Catholic Cemetery, Lenexa, KS.