James Anthony Wayne

James was born on July 22, 1940, in Victoria, Texas to Ernest Lisle Wayne and Teresa Garcia Florido Wayne.

His lifelong love of firearms and military history led him to enlist in the United States Army in 1961. He immediately attended Artillery Officer Candidate School at Fort Sill, Oklahoma, where he was selected as the honor graduate to lead the next officer candidate class training.

During the Vietnam conflict he applied for a Regular Army commission and was assigned to the 2nd Armored Division as a 105mm battery Executive Officer. He was selected to serve as aide-de-camp to the General in charge of the artillery lines. He learned the Vietnamese language and became an advisor to an advisor of a Vietnamese artillery battalion. He later served as a Liaison Officer between the 5th Vietnamese division and the 1st U.S. Division. After leaving Vietnam, James returned to Fort Sill to attend an advanced artillery officer course and later rewrote the accuracy specifications for the 2,000-pound nuclear warhead. James was eventually sent to Turkey to command a nuclear weapons detachment serving alongside the Turkish Army.

James was scheduled to leave Turkey for the Command and General Staff college, but life took a different turn. Honoring his father's wishes, he returned home to graduate from Texas A&M University with a BA in Dairy Science, a specialized degree chosen specifically to help him run and support the family business, Valley Gold Creamery.

When the creamery ultimately closed, James once again took a new direction. He founded his own business, James Wayne Properties, where he eventually became the largest commercial property owner in Victoria, Texas. For that success, he always thanked the many wonderful employees who were like family to him, many staying with him for decades.

James lived life at full speed and embraced many passions. He enjoyed motorcycling, tennis, horseback riding, scuba diving, skiing and big-game hunting. These adventures were shared with his wife, Tina, with whom he spent 27 wonderful years.

Although he had a passion for hunting, he cared deeply about the well-being and survival of animals. He was known for rescuing stray animals, making sure they received veterinary care and finding them loving homes. That love and compassion continues in James’s honor through the James Anthony Wayne Foundation which he founded for the preservation of animals.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to the James Anthony Wayne Foundation. Donations may be sent to:

James Anthony Wayne Foundation

2608 N. Laurent Street

Victoria, TX 77901

James is preceded in death by his parents and brother, Dr. Lisle Wayne.

He is survived by his wife, Tina, three daughters; Wendy, Dawn and Heather and one son, Mark, three nephews; Col. Todd Wayne, Dr. Kyle Wayne and Lisle Wayne, III, and his sister-in-law, Sheila Wayne.

James’s services will be private.