"In his heart a man plans his course, but the Lord determines his steps." Proverbs 16:9

Born to Clarence and Ruth Albertson in Carter County Montana in the fall of 1944, Wayne joined older sister Eleanor and older brothers Jim, Roland, and Frank, later to welcome two more siblings, Gerald and Charlean. Wayne started school in Nisland, SD, in 1950 and graduated from high school in midwest WY in 1962.

Wayne liked fast cars, fishing, and driving machinery. His white Caliente was his great joy immediately following his graduation. As a child he accompanied his brothers to the river for long summer days of fishing. Then at night the trot lines would be set before going home to supper as darkness closed in. Next morning inevitably yielded a fair sized catfish or two which he would proudly display. He enjoyed driving tractors, his dad's or some family friend's. He worked several summers for a wheat farmer near Arpan, SD.

Wayne's love of the whir of a motor led him to take up truck driving, first for others and finally with his own Peterbilt in the 1980's. For the next twenty-five years, he logged miles, relishing the alone time of "waiting for a load" and then going alternately coast to coast and border to border.

Wayne's marriage to Sally saw two boys, Mike and Doug, enter the world. Subsequent marriage to Marie gave him two beautiful daughters, Tennille and Ember. Wayne's third marriage to Marlene was to end in divorce in 2013 (I think). Remember he cherished his time alone.

And a brother, Wayne stayed connected as best he could. He called regularly and more than once when I (Frank) suggested, after a lengthy conversation, that we hang up for now, his response was, "No, by __, this is my nickel!" This was before cell phones, when long distance had charges for each extra minute.

Wayne had a tragic flaw; I think he would agree. Was it inherited or generated on his own? In looking long into the word of God, one finds that flaw to be sin, a trait shared by all of us, although each is manifest differently. And it is inherited all the way from Adam. I know it bothered him, but he seemed Powerless for years to do anything about it. In a recent time with him, I asked Wayne to read the Gospel of John. Like his father, he did not like talking "religion".

In June of 2015, he and I (Frank) spent several hours together on the road to Fargo, ND, where he planned to engage in some overdue reconciliation. He did that with several family members after finding out that he had terminal cancer. His flaw receded, his smile burst forth, and he became the father/brother that many of us had prayed for. When I asked Wayne about his relationship with Christ, his reply was, "I've taken care of that".

Monday evening, September 14, one day before his 71st birthday, Wayne passed peacefully from this world.