Wayne Gary Coonfare

A memorial service for Wayne Gary Coonfare, 77, of Coos Bay, will be held at 2 p.m., Saturday, March 16, at the College Park Community Church, 2548 Newmark St. in North Bend, with pastor Rich LaMar officiating. Private cremation was held at Ocean View Memory Gardens in Coos Bay.

Wayne was born Sept. 17, 1941 in Glendive, Montana, to Lyle Herman Coonfare and Dolores Leona (Ray) Sommers. He passed away March 5, 2019, in assisted living with his family and numerous caregivers at his side in Coos Bay.

Wayne was raised in Oakland, Ore., and graduated from Oakland High School, Class of 1959. After high school, he enlisted in the United States Air Force. During that time, he met the love of his live, Cleo, while stationed at Beale Air Force base in Marysville, Calif. In 1961, they were married in Coquille. The couple settled and raised their children in Oakland.

In 1982, they relocated to the Coos Bay area, where he continued his career as a log truck driver and heavy equipment operator. Wayne loved spending time in the outdoors, especially with his grandchildren and nieces and nephews.

Wayne always said he wanted to live one day longer than Cleo, so he could take care of her. He loved her dearly and devoted himself to her care all the way to the final hours of his passing.

He is survived by his wife of 57 years, Cleo Marie Biddle Coonfare of Coos Bay; sons, David Coonfare of Coos Bay and Dan Coonfare and Jill Harper of Cottage Grove; daughters, Janice Coonfare of North Bend and Jeannie (Coonfare) and husband, Christopher Hill of Tarboro, North Carolina; sisters, Melody Storts of Coquille and Sherose Abrahams of Huntley, Montana; grandchildren, Bradley and Jessica, Derek and Jacki Coonfare, Adam and Sarah, Daniel and Helen Hill, Evan Hill, Zachary and Heather Hill, Carianna and Chris Boyd; great-grandchildren, Addison, Graham and Rory Coonfare, Carleigh, Audra and Fletcher Hill; and nieces and nephews, Sam and Jennifer, Alison Storts, Stacy and John Houston, Justin and Harli Houston, Brayden Schmitt, Jim Hofferber, Justin, David and Becky Abrahams, and Rachel Cischke.

Wayne had a big, giving heart to the young and old alike. In lieu of flowers, the family would appreciate memorial contributions in Wayne’s name be made to the Boys and Girls Club of SW Oregon, 3333 Walnut Ave., PO Box 1082, Coos Bay, Oregon 97420.

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