Wayne Alan Sturdevant

Wayne Sturdevant passed away in San Antonio Texas on 06 July 2025. He was born in Portland, Oregon on April 3, 1946. He was an “Army Brat” who lived in Greece and France before returning to America to attend Buena in his Freshman year. He excelled in instrumental music and geology before graduating from Buena High School in 1963 in Sierra Vista, Arizona. He excelled at band and also played in the Rock ‘n’ Roll bands The Decades and the Lancers. He went on to the University of Arizona for a year before entering the US Air Force. He spent an entire career of 20 years, becoming a “star” wherever he was assigned and finished his career in the top post of his career field serving the entire Air Force. He got his Bachelor’s in Occupational Education from Southern Illinois University while working his full-time job.. He continued his association with the Air Force and the Navy before being assigned as a VP of operations (and later President) of a software development corporation. Later in life, he took what he learned in his Buena High School shop class in Lapidary Arts and became a “lapadist” and jeweler. He created his own Jewelry Company where he and his wife spent their years until retirement.

Wayne is predeceased by his parents, Hervey and Georgia Sturdevant. Hervey was the Post Operations Sergeant at Fort Huachuca in the early 1960s.

He is survived by his wife, Helen, of nearly 50 years. They have 5 sons, 15 grandchildren, and 6 great-grandchildren.

Wayne had a special bond with his wife that will last into the eternities. All five of his sons were precious to him.

Wayne spent several years in civic, Boy Scout, and Church Service, having been twice a bishop of a congregation, twice as a member of stake presidencies, a counselor in a full-time mission presidency. He served 3 missions with his wife as Military Relations Missionaries to servicemen and their families. He spent several years as an executive board member to the Boy Scouts of America, Capital Area Council.

He especially enjoyed “getting back together online with about a dozen of his 1963 Buena High School graduate classmates and following them in their later years.

He was given the label of “shepherd”, which he treasured.

Graduate of Buena High School, 1963

BS from Southern Illinois University-Carbondale, 1977

20 year career in the US Air Force. Retired as the head of the Enlisted OJT Program for the (entire) Air Force.

Awarded 3 USAF Meritorious Service Medals, 2 US Air Force Commendation Medals, Humanitarian Service Medal, and Small Arms Expert Marksmanship Medal (plus other medals that were given just for being in the Service: Longevity, Good Conduct, National Defense).

Second Careers: Senior Human Factors Engineer; Branch Manager, Interactive on-line Training Systems; VP and President of Software Company, Co-Owner Lone Star Gemstones by Sturdevant.

Recipient, Citation of Honor, Air Force Association; Award of Merit and Silver Beaver Award, Boy Scouts of America; Who's Who in American Education; Who's Who in America; Who's Who in the World, Gt Britain; Dictionary of Biographies; International Man of the Year; Lifetime Achievement Award (Marquis).

Civic Service: ScoutMaster, District Council Member, Capital Area Council Executive Board Member, Institutional Representative, Scout Committee Chair.

Church Service: Home Teacher, Elders Quorum Pres x2, Bishop x2, Stake Presidency Counselor x2, Mission Presidency Counselor, Temple Ordinance Service x3,

Full-Time Missionary x3, Texas San Antonio Mission Presidency Counselor, LDS Military Relations Missionary.