Wayne graduated from Paris High School and earned an associate degree in drafting from Paris Junior College. He was a welder all of his life and was a welding instructor for 12 years at Paris Junior College. He ran his own welding business for many years, and a lot of his work can be seen around the Honey Grove area. He also worked for Smith Feed & Hardware in Honey Grove for over 40 years.

Wayne was a member of the Honey Grove Volunteer Fire Department for over 20 years and served as fire chief for many of those years. Wayne was a member of the Baptist faith. He loved fishing, hunting, racing cars, teaching people how to weld and was an avid knife collector.
   
Wayne was preceded in death by his parents, his sister Marie Parks Payne, niece Nancy Lu, niece Rita Rogers, sister-in-law and brother-in-law Tom and Carolyn Newkirk, and brother-in-law Jackie Wheeler.
   
Wayne is survived by his loving wife, Linda, of over 50 years, his daughter Kristina Parks Wilson and husband Peter of Sallisaw, OK, grandson Gage Westcott and Raylee Christian of Stillwater, OK, granddaughter Kaitlin Westcott and Chris Gatlin of Honey Grove, sister Geneva Parks Smith and brother-in-law Johnnie Smith of Honey Grove, sister-in-law and brother-in-law JoAnn and Raymond Allen of Powderly, TX, brother-in-law Ronnie Jones of Paris, TX, sister-in-law and brother-in-law Rita and Rudy Key of Mesquite, TX, sister-in-law Becky Wheeler of Faught, TX, and numerous nieces, nephews and cousins.
    
Visitation will be held at Cooper-Sorrells Funeral Home in Honey Grove on Saturday, October 4, 2025, from 12:00-1:45 p.m. followed by a graveside service at Hopewell Cemetery in Sumner, TX at 2:00 p.m.

To convey condolences or to sign an online registry, please visit www.coopersorrells.com.