Wayne Newton Neumann

Wayne Newton Neumann of Lakewood, Colorado, passed away on October 21, 2024, a few days after learning of aggressive cancers throughout his body. His family had celebrated his 90th birthday with him a few months earlier.

Wayne was born on March 15, 1934, in Danville, Illinois, where he met his high school sweetheart, Carolyn, whom he married on April 17, 1954. They were married for 70 years. They had three daughters: Kathy, Linda, and Sandra.

Wayne enjoyed traveling all over the country and the world, sailing with his boss in California, and hiking with his family in Colorado. He was an extremely successful businessman, working his way up to the top of his profession: Senior Vice President, CFO, Secretary/Treasurer, and Member of the Board of Directors. In 1973, his work took him and his family from White Bear Lake, Minnesota, to Southern California.

Wayne and Carolyn were very active in Kathy’s life while her children, Tom and Mike, were growing up. The boys adored their grandparents and spent many weekends, holidays, and vacations with them. They played cards and games together, and when Tom was old enough, he became Wayne’s avid pinochle partner. When Mike was 5 and Tom 13, Wayne and Carolyn took the boys and their parents to Maui for an unforgettably fun vacation. Twenty years later, Wayne and Carolyn, Kathy and Rick, and Mike went to Maui and enjoyed zip lining, blue-water rafting, snorkeling, the aquarium, drives to Hana and the black-sand beaches, and a luau.

In 1999, Wayne and Carolyn moved to Colorado to be near Linda and her children, their youngest grandchildren. Though he didn’t feel ready to retire from his work, he soon discovered how much he enjoyed being a full-time grandpa to Kristin (now Ky), Kevin, and Brendan. He loved taking his granddaughter to plays and watching her choir concerts as well as Kevin’s band concerts, and he was thrilled to participate in both of his grandsons’ many Boy Scouts adventures. At Kevin’s Eagle Court of Honor, he presented his grandpa with an Eagle Mentor pin. Wayne got a kick out of creating scavenger hunts for the kids every Christmas and Easter, making them more challenging each year, and including their significant others and close friends in the games. 

Wayne and Carolyn took Linda and her kids to California every summer to visit Kathy and her family and have fun at all the tourist attractions. Kathy and her family came to Colorado every December to celebrate Christmas with the grandparents and Linda and her kids, enjoying many fun and friendly rounds of Skip Bo and pinochle.

Wayne and Linda became great hiking buddies, as they matched each other’s pace—one of them would stop for a water break or point out a wonderful photo op about the same time the other was ready for a break too. Twice a year Wayne, Carolyn, Linda, the Colorado grandchildren, and whoever else could make it out spent a wonderful week in Estes Park, Colorado. They hiked many trails in Rocky Mountain National Park, even learning how to snowshoe over a spring break, and enjoyed some great dining. First chance each trip they stopped at The Taffy Shop for a family-sized box to indulge in over the week, and within a few days of arriving they’d go to the Glen Haven General Store for cinnamon rolls.

Wayne and Carolyn regularly traveled to Washington to visit Sandra and her children—Charmagne, Crystal, Chelsea, and John—and their grandchildren: Carissa, Christopher, Isaac, Kiara, Tyler, Makayla, and Joslynn. They had many a rousing Skip-Bo championship, and Wayne was always a favorite partner. These precious times together, with Grandpa’s loving attention, made every one of them feel special.

At Wayne’s request, instead of a memorial service, the immediate family will be gathering at their Ram’s Horn timeshare in Estes Park to scatter his ashes at one of his favorite photo-op locations. 

In lieu of flowers, the family would like donations to be made to the Children’s Hospital Colorado, which was instrumental in the life of their next-door neighbors, the Price’s (who’ve been like family), when their daughter was young and dealing with a serious heart condition. Please visit http://www.supportchildrenscolorado.org/ways-to-give.

Prior to his passing, Wayne acknowledged that his “bucket list” was empty because he had been so blessed to have “lived a very fantastic and rewarding life.” He adored his wife, his children, and his grandchildren, and they’ve all felt abundantly blessed by their special relationships with him.

Please share your memories of Wayne and condolences with his family by signing the guest book below.