Wayne Bingham

Wayne was born on December 20, 1951 in Enid, Oklahoma to Raymond Gordon and Geraldine Ellen Wilson Bingham. He spent his young life surrounded by grandparents and extended family, participating in Boy Scouts, church youth groups and camps, and the Hi-Y Club. He worked for a pharmacy delivering prescriptions around town on his bicycle. Wayne sang in the school chorus and later joined Enid Sing-Out, the local “Up With People” group, performing around the state. He was certified as an electronics technician at O.T. Autry Vo-Tech during high school and also volunteered 600 hours as a candy striper for St. Mary’s Hospital. In 1970 at age 18, he graduated from Enid High School and enlisted in the US Air Force. He served in Wichita Falls, TX (Shepard AFB); Riverside, CA (March AFB); Incirlik, Turkey (Incirlik AFB); and Rantoul, IL (Chanute AFB) before marrying Dianna Estella Pullin on December 30, 1972 in Oklahoma City.

Wayne and Dianna lived in Rantoul, IL; Atwater, CA (Castle AFB); and later in Altus, OK (Altus AFB) where their two children were born. They lived for 3 years in Bitburg, Germany and visited Austria, France, Luxembourg, Belgium, Holland, and England before he retired from the Air Force in 1980. After living briefly in Enid, they made their home in and around Tampa, FL for 20 years where Wayne worked as a computer field service engineer. After attending night school, he earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Management from Tampa College in 1987. The family joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in 1989 where Wayne served in many leadership and service positions.

In 2000, they moved to Independence, MO to help their siblings care for their aging mothers while his job took him all over the country to assist customers. Wayne spent many hours as a community volunteer for the City of Independence, receiving multiple certifications including Missouri Certified Emergency Manager Level 2 while serving as the City’s CERT Volunteer Coordinator. He also enjoyed a few years working part-time as a substitute teacher for the Independence Public School System. He was a skilled carpenter, designing and crafting many items of furniture. His other hobbies included genealogy and ham radio operation. He was a dedicated father and a fun-loving grandfather.

Wayne and Dianna moved to Stillwater, Oklahoma in 2021 to be near extended family. During his last month, he lived at Shawnee Colonial Estates nursing home in Shawnee, OK. The family would like to thank the staff for their heroic and selfless evacuation of Wayne and all the residents after a tornado hit the facility on April 19th of this year. No deaths or injuries were sustained as the staff focused care on their patients while some lost their own homes and vehicles. The family also thanks the warm and immediate welcome received at Heritage of Brandon Place in Oklahoma City where Wayne spent his final days. The staff of Valir Hospice and the Kansas City and Oklahoma City VA Medical Centers and staff provided valuable care during the course of his illness.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Ray and Gerry Bingham, older sister Allida Bingham, brother-in-law LeRoy Gonsalves, sister-in-law Tamara Bingham, and his granddaughter, Paiton Gardner.

He is survived by his wife, Dianna, older brother Ray (Wanda) Bingham, Jr., daughter Mary (Brandt) Gardner, all of Stillwater, son David Bingham and daughter-in-law Cathy Coppage of Tampa, grandchildren Bethany (Dallin) Shaw of Gore, OK, Tanner and Jackson Gardner of Stillwater, Carter, Alex, and Makenna Bingham of Tampa, and great-grandchildren James, Evelyn, and Rosalie Shaw of Gore.

Arrangements are under the direction of Baggerley Funeral Home in Edmond, OK.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to any veterans’ organization

A graveside service for Wayne will be held Friday, May 5, 2023 from 1:30 PM to 2:00 PM at Fort Gibson National Cemetery, 1423 Cemetery Road, Fort Gibson, OK 74434.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.baggerley.com for the Bingham family.