WAYNE – Wayne C. Crowell, born in Augusta on Dec. 27, 1946, died quietly at his home in Wayne on Tuesday morning, May 15, following a long and courageous battle with cancer.

Wayne was brave in combat, a great husband, father, grandfather, friend, hunter and fisherman, who was always true to his word. Wayne loved a good story. His whole life was a good story. He grew up in Manchester and the local cops knew that if a hot rod Chevy, Ford or Pontiac went past at 95, it was probably Wayne. If it was a late night and the hot-rod’s lights were out it, was definitely Wayne.

After a year at Maine Maritime Academy in Castine, Wayne was drafted into the Army, where he had a distinguished combat career. He was a platoon sergeant and squad leader at 21, who lost just two men in combat. He was awarded the Vietnam Service Medal with three bronze stars, the Combat Infantryman Badge and he was awarded Expert Rifle Marksman. Additionally, he received two Purple Hearts for combat wounds.

After Vietnam, Wayne graduated from the third class of Sky Marshalls for the U.S. Treasury Department and was appointed U.S. Deputy Sky Marshall, flying all over the world. Wayne landed on every continent except Antarctica. It wasn’t all smooth flying. Sky Marshalls often flew first class but were forbidden to drink. “A contradiction in terms if there ever was one,” Wayne liked to say. Wayne was locked up in a prison in Haiti and in his hotel room in the Karachi Intercontinental during the Bangladesh War.

In 1987 Wayne began his career as a master plumber for commercial plumbing and heating. Wayne said he always considered it a privilege to spend the last ten years of his career at Augusta Fuel Company as the estimator and service manager.

A mutual friend introduced him to Lisa Flewelling and they fell in love at first sight. Lisa fell in love with the big, strong air marshall with the mutton chop side burns and mustache. Wayne had no defenses at all for the bright, feisty girl from Mt. Vernon. They married on July 13, 1980 on the front lawn of their old farmhouse in Wayne, where they lived together for 32 years. They jacked up the old farmhouse, put in a foundation and raised their daughters, Shannon and Julie. 

Wayne taught Lisa to hunt and fish, spent wonderful times at the little family camp in the north woods and had a bond between the two of them so strong they could finish each other’s sentences before a word was spoken. Wayne fulfilled a life long dream and became a private pilot. He loved to take his family and friends for rides all over Maine. After the kids were grown, Wayne bought Harleys for both of them and Wayne and Lisa toured New England and Canada on their motorcycles. They also travelled all over the U.S., from Florida to Alaska and Montana, where an apple tree was planted in his name on the day he died.  

Wayne is survived by his wife, Lisa Flewelling Crowell; his sister, Sheila Crowell and her lifetime companion, Bob Guyon; his brother, Barry Crowell and his wife, Cindy, both couples of Winthrop; his daughters, Shannon Cote and her husband, Jason Cote of Wayne and Julie Anderson of Mansfield, Australia and her husband, Chris Anderson; and by his beloved grandchildren, Ayla Cote of Maine and Harper and Will Anderson of Mansfield, Australia.

Memories, condolences, photos, and videos may be shared with the family on the obituary page of our website at www.khrfuneralhomes.com

A graveside service will be held at 12:30 p.m. on Saturday May 19, 2012 at the Maine Veterans Memorial Cemetery, Mount Vernon Road, in Augusta. A celebration of Wayne’s life will follow at the Androscoggin Yacht Club in Wayne. Memorial donations may be made to the Maine Chapter, Disabled Veterans, P.O. Box 3415, Augusta, Maine 04330 or the American Cancer Society, 1 Bowdoin Mill Island Suite 300, Topsham, Maine 04086. Arrangements are in the care of Knowlton and Hewins Funeral Home, One Church Street, Augusta.

WAYNE — Wayne C. Crowell, born in Augusta on Dec. 27, 1946, died quietly at his home in Wayne on Tuesday morning, May 15, following a long and courageous battle with cancer.

Wayne was brave in combat, a great husband, father, grandfather, friend, hunter and fisherman, who was always true to his word.

Wayne loved a good story. His whole life was a good story. He grew up in Manchester, and the local cops knew that if a hot rod Chevy, Ford or Pontiac went past at 95, it was probably Wayne. If it was a late night and the hot-rod’s lights were out it was definitely Wayne.

After a year at Maine Maritime Academy in Castine, Wayne was drafted into the Army, where he had a distinguished combat career. He was a platoon sergeant and squad leader at 21, who lost just two men in combat. He was awarded the Vietnam Service medal with three bronze stars, the Combat Infantryman Badge, and he was awarded Expert Rifle Marksman. Additionally, he received two Purple Hearts for combat wounds.

After Vietnam, Wayne graduated from the third class of Sky Marshals for the U.S. Treasury Department and was appointed U.S. Deputy Sky Marshall, flying all over the world. Wayne landed on every continent except Antarctica. It wasn’t all smooth flying. Sky Marshals often flew First Class but were forbidden to drink. “A contradiction in terms if there ever was one,” Wayne liked to say.

Wayne was locked in a prison in Haiti and in his hotel room in the Karachi Intercontinental during the Bangladesh war.

In 1987, Wayne began his career as a Master Plumber for commercial plumbing and heating. Wayne said he always considered it a privilege to spend the last 10 years of his career at Augusta Fuel Company as the estimator and service manager.

A mutual friend introduced him to Lisa Flewelling and they fell in love at first sight. Lisa fell in love with the big, strong air marshal with the mutton chop side burns and mustache. Wayne had no defenses at all for the bright, feisty girl from Mt. Vernon. They married July 13, 1980, on the front lawn of their old farmhouse in Wayne where they lived together for 32 years. They jacked up the old farmhouse, put in a foundation and raised their daughters Shannon and Julie.

Wayne taught Lisa to hunt and fish, spent wonderful times at the little family camp in the north woods and had a bond between the two of them so strong they could finish each other’s sentences before a word was spoken.

Wayne fulfilled a life long dream and became a private pilot. He loved to take his family and friends for rides all over Maine.

After the kids were grown, Wayne bought Harleys for both of them, and Wayne and Lisa toured New England and Canada on their motorcycles. They also travelled all over the United States, from Florida to Alaska and Montana —  where an apple tree was planted in his name on the day he died.

Wayne is survived by his wife, Lisa Flewelling Crowell; his sister, Sheila Crowell, and her lifetime companion, Bob Guyon, of Winthrop; his brother, Barry Crowell, and his wife, Cindy, of Winthrop; his daughters, Shannon Cote and her husband, Jason, of Wayne, and Julie Anderson of Mansfield, Australia, and her husband, Chris;.and by his beloved grandchildren, Ayla Cote of Maine, and Harper and Will Anderson of Mansfield, Australia.

Memories, condolences, photos, and videos may be shared with the family on the obituary page of our website at www.khrfuneralhomes.com.