Wayne Carroll Frazier

It was Thanksgiving, 1958, the year Wayne married Pat and they decided to eat dinner at the Officer’s Club while stationed at their first assignment in Malmstrom AFB, Great Falls, Montana. After dinner Wayne told Pat, from that day forward, they would always be eating Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners at home with family. The next year that tradition began when their first son was born and Wayne continued to make both Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners every year unless his Air Force duties kept him away from home. Wayne was a committed and dedicated man: to his wife, family, his work and others. The meals, desserts and snacks that he cooked were always thoughtfully prepared with the tastes of others in mind. His ability to cook started when he was young as he made meals for his sisters, and he continued that tradition for his family and others throughout his lifetime.

After retirement Wayne loved to visit his favorite place in the world, Rockport, Texas. In and around Rockport is where he spent many years prior to his military service. When visiting he couldn’t wait to enjoy coffee each morning with his buddies and eat shrimp as though he were drinking water.

Major Wayne Carrol Frazier was born on December 8, 1934 in San Benito, Texas. He spent most of his childhood and young adulthood in both Texas and Louisiana. He graduated from Rockport High School in 1953. Before entering the Air Force in 1957, he attended college at Texas A and I in Kingsville while working various jobs at the Rockport movie theater, the King Ranch and various oil companies. Wayne met his future bride, Patsy Allen from Brownsville, while working in Rockport. She happened to be there working for her Aunt Billie Bracht. The wedding day was May 23, 1958 and they were married for 63 years, another example of Wayne’s dedication and commitment to his word that their love would last a lifetime.

His military career started in Texas with Basic Training, Cadet School, and KC-97 Navigator School. He was then stationed at various locations including Montana, Puerto Rico, Michigan, California, Nebraska, and a remote one-year assignment during the Vietnam War. Wayne served his country as a navigator on both the KC-97 and KC-135, both planes that refueled other aircraft while flying. He also served as the Fire Control Officer (coordination of the weapon systems) on an AC-130 Gun Ship while deployed for the year and finished his career as a navigator on Looking Glass missions (a flying command center that can be utilized if ground-based command centers are non-operable). He retired from the military with honors at Offutt AFB in Nebraska.

Besides his military position, Wayne kept busy providing support and transportation for a group of four busy children. Throughout those parenting years he was busy with meets, performances, practices, lessons, homework and meetings. Notable activities for his family included swimming, water polo, soccer, Boy Scouts, band, ballet, piano, synchronized swimming, and school.

Wayne continued to provide for his family by embarking on additional jobs after his military career. He helped develop and work at the Merced Aero Club and drove a Special Education bus for the Merced City School District. He also assisted Pat by baking delicious Lemon and Banana Breads for many of her Community Services Bus Trips. Patsy and Wayne also taught private swimming lessons to area children in their backyard pool for many years.

Wayne loved woodworking, building and flying model airplanes. He started with control line model airplanes on the beaches in Rockport and gradually transitioned to remote control model airplane flights. He belonged to the Merced County Radio Control Club and loved to fly with his friends at the airstrip out on Bert Crane Road. He enjoyed the friendships and camaraderie (and donuts) as much as the flying.

Wayne is survived by his wife, Pat; their four children: Mark (Lisa) Frazier, Eric (Hui) Frazier, Kurt (Wendy) Frazier, and Kim (Jesse) Soltero; six grandchildren: Aaron, Jonathan, David, Melinda, Kurt, and Alexandra; three great-grandchildren: Gwenyth, Evelyn, and Jackson; two sisters: Saundra Lager and Martha Ann Harralson; and nephew Dewain (Katie) Collet and their daughter Hollie. He was preceded in death by his grandson Nikolas Frazier.

The memorial service and mass will be held on October 2nd (9:00 am) at St. Patrick Church, 671 East Yosemite Avenue in Merced, California. A reception will follow immediately after the service. In lieu of flowers, please make contributions to St. Patrick’s Parrish, 671 East Yosemite Avenue in Merced, California, 95340.