Wayne William Tetrick

Wayne William Tetrick, a resident of Willow Springs, passed away Sunday afternoon, September 20, 2020 while at Willow Care Nursing Home. He was born July 23, 1923 in Dora, MO to Charles and Edna Sina (Cash) Tetrick and was 97 years old.
 
Wayne grew up in the Dora area where he attended school and graduated from Dora High School. He proudly served his country in the U.S. Navy during World War II, where he was assigned to the elite naval intelligence group FRUPAC.  The unit’s mission was the monitoring and intelligence gathering of Japanese ship and aircraft movement.  He was stationed aboard the USS Ticonderoga in the South Pacific where his responsibility was copying Japanese code, which was then forwarded to trained code breakers.  The unit played a pivotal role in determining Japanese carrier positions, culminating in the decisive Battle of Midway.  His unit worked directly under the ship’s Admiral, their mission cloaked in secrecy to even their fellow sailors.  
 
He married Ruby Mae Dunaway on May 25, 1946 in Mountain Grove, and after earning a bachelor of education degree from SMS, he taught school in Mountain Grove for 3 years.  He subsequently worked as a radio operator for the Missouri State Highway Patrol in Rolla for 4 years before employment as a senior designer for MoDOT in Willow Springs for 25 years before his retirement. When he was not at work, Wayne enjoyed being a ham radio operator as well as camping with Ruby.  However, his passion was playing golf, and he readily shared his love for the game with family and friends.  Wayne and Ruby have been members of the First Baptist Church of Willow Springs since 1956. He will be dearly missed by his family, his friends, and all who knew him.
 
Wayne is preceded in death by his parents and one brother, Leon Tetrick.
 
He is survived by his wife of 74 years, Ruby Tetrick; daughter, Annette Johnston and her husband, Norm of Ozark, MO; son, Gary Tetrick and Laura Roberts of Nixa, MO; sister, Ruby Skiles; grandsons: Ryan Johnston (and wife Sarah), Scott Johnston (and wife Kendra), Josh Tetrick, and Jordan Tetrick (and wife Jessica). He is further survived by his great-grandchildren: Kristjana Johnston, Jachin Johnston, Ethan Johnston, and June Tetrick, as well as numerous nieces and nephews.
 
In lieu of flowers, the family would appreciate donations to the Willow Springs Public Library in Wayne’s memory, and may be left at the funeral home.
 
A celebration of life will be held on October 3, 2020, at 2:00 P.M. at the Willow Springs City Cemetery gazebo with Pastors Ryan Johnston and Joel Hinds officiating. Arrangements are under the direction of Willow Funeral Home, LLC. Online condolences may be left at www.willowspringsfuneralhome.com
 

Howell County News

110 W. Main St.,
Willow Springs, MO 65793
417-252-2123

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