Wayne Theodore Wade

Sunday morning, we said goodbye to an incredible husband, father and grandfather. Wayne Theodore Wade, 86, passed away peacefully on July 9, 2023, surrounded by his loving wife, children and grandchildren. A fifth generation Floridian, Wayne was born October 23, 1936, in Webster, Florida. As the only child of parents Jake and Marie Wade, Wayne learned the value of a hard day’s work assisting on his family’s cattle and vegetable farm. His primary entertainment as a young boy came from traversing the wooded areas and fishing in the lakes of rural Sumter County. Throughout his lifetime, he remained an avid sportsman and never lost his appreciation for the beauty of God’s green earth. After graduation from Webster High School in June 1955, Wayne enrolled at the University of Florida, where he earned his Bachelors and Masters degrees. Following graduation, Wayne and the love of his life, Janelle, relocated to Plant City, Florida where he began his thirty-two-year career with the University of Florida Extension Service. His primary career goal was to educate and enhance the knowledge base of Florida beef cattle producers by providing them with sound, research-based information regarding best practices for breeding, production, forage and feeding, and herd management. Outside of his professional career, Wayne’s knowledge and passion for agriculture guided him and Janelle to build their own cattle and citrus operation. There, they were blessed with three children, whose well-being became Wayne’s primary focus in life. Wayne has reunited in heaven with his parents, Jake and Marie Wade, and his first grandson, Nicholas Wade. He will be forever loved and missed by his wife of sixty-two years, Janelle; son, Dr. Brant Wade (Christine); daughters, Paula Greene (Mark) and Shayla LaRue (Chris); and grandchildren, Haley Greene Popp (Dustin), Bryce Valin, Dayne Wade, Chris Wade, Steven Greene, Emily Wade and Brooke Wasz. A Celebration of Life and Remembrance service will be held on Saturday, July 15, 2023, at 11:00 a.m. at the Beyers Funeral Home and Purcell Chapel, 114 W. Noble Avenue, Bushnell, Florida. A luncheon reception at Wayne and Janelle’s home will follow the service. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that you consider a memorial donation in honor of Wayne Wade to either Florida United Methodist Children’s Home, Florida Baptist Children’s Home, or St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

Wayne Theodore Wade

October 23, 1936 - July 9, 2023