W. Wayne Holmes

W. Wayne Holmes was born at home on a small farm outside of Stanley, Kansas on November 7, 1917 to William Grover Holmes and Ollie Bruton Holmes. He died peacefully on May 26, 2012 at the Ray Hickey Hospice in Vancouver, WA surrounded by his loving family.

Wayne attended Tomahawk Elementary School until his parents moved into town where he then attended Stanley Elementary School. He graduated from Stanley Rural High School in 1935 and went on to study at Baker University in Baldwin, Kansas, graduating in 1939.Wayne continued his education at Kansas University Medical School where he specialized in obstetrics graduating in 1944. While a medical student, he joined the US Navy. After medical school, Wayne drove to Seattle with medical school friends and began his internship at Swedish Hospital Medical Center. There, on a blind date, he met Vivian Alice Peterson, who was in training to become an RN. Wayne and Vivian married on November 4, 1944 three days after he finished his internship.

The newly weds made their first home near the Bremerton Naval Yard for three short weeks before Wayne received orders for naval duty in San Francisco. He reported as the ship's doctor on the USS Mullany. He felt it odd that an obstetrician was serving on a Fletcher-class destroyer with several hundred other men, but he knew that it was wartime so the obstetrician would serve. In April, 1944 Wayne and the crew of the USS Mullany went to war, while Vivian returned to Seattle to work as a nurse. The Mullany crew fought at Iwo Jima and Okinawa where the ship was hit by a kamikaze. Badly damaged with many casualties and wounded, the ship limped back to San Francisco making just 8 knots. The Navy sent him to Guam at the 103rd Fleet Hospital, a "pit," until the end of the war.

After the war, Wayne was discharged and reunited with Vivian in Seattle. Warren was born in 1948 shortly after which the family moved to Vancouver, WA where Wayne began practicing obstetrics and gynecology at the Vancouver Clinic. Douglas was born in 1950 and John in 1952. Wayne worked at the Vancouver Clinic until his retirement in 1985.

His wife Vivian died of breast cancer in 1971 and he married Jean Butler in 1972. Jean and Wayne shared a love of good food, world travel, spending time at their Mt. Hood cabin (where they hiked and picnicked extensively) and their large extended family.

Through out his life of service, Wayne was on the Columbia Pacific Council of the Boy Scouts, receiving the highest volunteer honor, the Silver Beaver Award. He was President of the Vancouver Memorial Hospital Medical Staff, President at Royal Oaks Country Club and received the Clark County First Citizens Award in 1969. He served on the Vancouver WA Civil Service Commission and was a board member of the Standard Insurance Company.

He worshiped and served at Trinity Lutheran Church from 1950 until his death and is grateful for the love, friendship and encouragement of the church body for so many years. Wayne was a man of faith, dignity and grace who felt a deep responsibility for the well being of others. He will be long remembered by his many friends and will always be a beacon in our families.

He is survived by his wife, Jean Butler Holmes, his three sons (and their wives), Warren (Linda Forrest) of Eugene, OR, Douglas (Mary Holmes) of Hillsboro, OR, and John (Luann Bice) of Seattle WA, and his three stepchildren (and their spouses), Betty (David Hannaford) of Snohomish, WA, Bob (Patricia Butler) of Portland, OR, and Kathy (Brad Brahe) of Vancouver, WA. He was also survived by 7 grandchildren and 3 great grandchildren.

A memorial service will be held at Trinity Lutheran Church in Vancouver, WA on Saturday, June 2, at 11 AM. In lieu of flowers, Wayne asked that donations be made to the Trinity Lutheran Church Foundation, Boy Scouts of America, Cascade Pacific Council of Portland, OR the charity of your choice. Expressions of sympathy and personal remembrance may be entered online at … http://www.vancouverfuneralchapel.net