Glenn Wayne was born on Aug. 19, 1946, and released to the Lord’s care on July 23, 2025. A kind, quiet and unassuming gentle man. Wayne grew up on a farm three miles west of Ponca, attended country school District 13 and Ponca High School. After graduation he attended Nettleton Business College in Lincoln. He then attended Nettleton Business College in Sioux City. Glenn Wayne was drafted and entered the service on Aug. 25,1966 and served in Vietnam from Feb. 13, 1967 until Feb. 19, 1968. Glenn Wayne served as a Senior Med Aidman near Qui Nhon, Vietnam. He witnessed the carnage and tragedy of young soldiers taken to early in life.
After his military service, he worked at a couple of banks in Sioux City before deciding to attend Wayne State College, where he graduated with a business degree. We always knew Glenn Wayne as a quiet guy; however, the side you may not have known, he was a cheerleader at Nettleton Business College in Lincoln and one season at Wayne State he was the Wildcat mascot for football. Now all the Ponca people knew him as an avid backer of all the sports teams at Ponca, he didn’t miss many games whether football, boys or girls’ basketball or volleyball as his Lifetime Athletic Pass can attest. As for his name, he was always known as Wayne in the Ponca area, however in the military service or at Wayne State with his fraternity brothers he was known as Glenn. Glenn was named for his dads’ brother who perished in Italy in WWII in 1944 and Wayne for his mom’s eldest brother. Later in life, Glenn Wayne returned to Vietnam in peaceful times, upon returning he stated it was a beautiful country, and he held no ill will against the people of Vietnam. Glenn Wayne was able to visit Washington, D.C. on an Honor Flight a few years ago, the whole trip being a highlight of his life.
Glenn Wayne will be remembered by his siblings Ramona (Jerry) Carlton of Lake Havasu, Ariz., Donald (Jeannie) of Onalaska Wisc., Marilyn of Norfolk, Bev (Colin) McCue of Sioux City, Iowa, Keith (DeAnne) of Norfolk, Lori of Lincoln; eight nephews, two nieces, six great nephews, eight great nieces, many extended family members and friends.
Glenn Wayne was preceded in death by his parents Kenneth and Violet (Sherman) Stapleton, a sister Dorothy Elaine Richardson and husband Jim, and nieces Katie Stapleton and Cheyenne Stapleton.
Wayne was a longtime member of the United Methodist Church of Ponca, the Jaycees and American Legion Post 117 of Ponca.
A Celebration of Life will be held Aug. 16 at the Ponca Community Center from 2-4 p.m. Memorials will be given to the Ponca Booster Club.
