Wayne Reid Rowley Sr.

Wayne Reid Rowley Sr., 83, passed away Wednesday, March 12, 2014. Funeral Service, 12 p.m., Saturday, March 15 at Heritage Family Church in Wichita, Kan. A visitation will also be held 7-9 p.m., Monday, March 17 at North Little Rock Funeral Home in North Little Rock, Arkansas. Graveside service, 10 a.m., Tuesday, March 18 at Arkansas Memorial Gardens. Wayne moved from Laurel, Mississippi to North Little Rock at the age of 16. He started working for Little Rock Furniture Factory where he learned upholstering. After leaving Little Rock Furniture, he worked for Dyson Furniture Factory. During this time, he would work at the factory from 8-5 p.m., then came home and upholster a couch or chair. He was drafted into the military. He said they went down the line saying, "you're in the Army, you're in the Marines. He was chosen for the Marines and served 2 years with 9 months of that being in Japan. After returning from the Marines, his father-in-law, Fred Mincey, asked him to manage Mincey Auto Machine Company in North Little Rock. He did this for several years and then in 1984, he opened his own machine shop, Wayne's Auto Machine Shop, in Sherwood, Ark. The Lord blessed his business and he expanded it 3 times. Wayne was a very hard working man. He was very loyal to God, his family and his church. He was a song leader, sound tech, Sunday school teacher and always willing to help in any way he could for his church. Wayne loved people and was always one of the first ones to greet guests at the church to help them feel welcome. He was a very loving, outgoing and sensitive-to-others kind of man and always had a kind word for others. He was a tower of strength, steady and dependable. He married his sweetheart on January 19, 1951. They worked side by side for Mincey's and Wayne's Auto. She also helped with the sewing in his upholstering business until they both retired in 1999. During his years of retirement, Wayne became very involved in genealogy and enjoyed this immensely. After 50 years in North Little Rock, they left and moved to Kansas to be closer to their children and grandchildren, and now great-grandchildren. Survivors: wife, Joan Louise (Mincey) Rowley of the home; son, Pastor Wayne Reid Rowley Jr. and wife, Sheila, of Haysville, Kan.; daughter, Wynnette Ann Dudley and husband, Pastor Nathan Dudley, of Junction City, Kan.; grandchildren, Pastor Jonathan Dudley and wife, Bethany, of Valley Center, Kan., Annette Carrier and husband, Nathan, of Salina, Kan., Joshua Rowley and wife, Samanatha, of Haysville, Kan., Jeremy Rowley and wife, Kourtney, of Derby, Kan.; great-grandchildren, Makayla and Madelyn Dudley, Savannah Rowley, Natalie and Andrew Carrier; brothers and sisters-in-law, Arlie and Sharon Rowley of Deville, La., Lofton and Delores Rowley of Sherwood, Ark.; sisters and brothers-in-law, Annabelle and David Brister of Jayess, Miss., Elizabeth and Hilton Sullivan of Mountain View, Ark., Marcella and Burl Hicks of Laurel MS; sister-in-law, JoAnna Rowley of Laurel, Miss. Preceded in death by his parents, Roy and Lexie Rowley; sisters, Roy Dell and Madelyn Gatwood; brother, Jerry Rowley. Memorial established with Heritage Family Church, 909 N. St. Paul, Wichita, Kan. 67203. Downing & Lahey Mortuary West. Online tributes to the family via www.dlwichita.com.