Wayne Williams

BROKEN BOW-Orville “Wayne” Williams, 83, of Broken Bow, died Tuesday, July 31, 2012 in Grand Island. Services will be at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, August 4 at Govier Bros. Mortuary Chapel in Broken Bow with R.P. Smith officiating. Burial will be at the Broken Bow Cemetery. Visitation will be Friday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. at Govier Bros. with family present from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. He was born March 13, 1929, the oldest child of Harry and Bonnie Williams at his grandparents’ home, Homer and Lena Fair, in Broken Bow. He graduated from Broken Bow High School in 1946. On October 28, 1949, he married Roberta Mae Manning at Martin, South Dakota. The couple had four children: Sheila Marie, James Ray, Justin Roy and Echo Kay. Wayne and Roberta lived on ranches in the Sandhills of Nebraska for several years, then in Merna before moving to their current home on the Sumner Road south of Broken Bow in 1958 to ranch with his father Harry. He started working at the livestock sale barn in Broken Bow when he was only 16. He worked at ranches in the Sandhills and hauled cattle as a truck driver. For several years, he volunteered to weigh livestock at fair time for Custer County 4-H. Wayne was a charter member of the Nebraska Charolais Association, bringing some of the first white cattle to the area. During his ranching career, he worked alongside his dad, sons Jim and Justin and grandsons Jason, Jared and Colton. Wayne retired from the cattle business in 2007. Even then, he continued to work on the block at Central Ne. Commission Company. Survivors include his daughters Sheila Kendall of Broken Bow and Echo (Shorty) Clark of Crawford and sons Jim (Cathy) of Garrison, N.D. and Justin (Kris) of Broken Bow. Wayne leaves eleven grandchildren: Jason (Amy) Williams, Brenda (Lee) Nelson, Tara (Eric) Thomas, Jennifer (Jason) Arensdorf, Tanyor (Tarah) Kendall, Tyrell Kendall, Jared, Colton and Kylie Williams, Caleb and Katrina Studnicka and ten great grandkids. He also is survived by his brother Gus of Rio Vista, Ca. He was preceded in death by his wife, a son-in-law, Mike Kendall, brother Ivan, sisters Margie and LauraBelle.