Wayne Russell Conners, 60, much beloved husband of Missy Rand, passed peacefully at home in Alexandria, VA surrounded by loved ones on December 30, 2019 after courageously living with melanoma for four years.
Devoted son, husband, father, brother and friend, Wayne is also survived by children Julia, Sam (Lauren); Morgan Barker and Haley Horvath (Eric); kitty Scarlett, sister Tori Bess (Bill), brother David (Candice), chosen brother Greg Rollins, former wife Darcie Reemtsen, and numerous nieces and nephews. He was pre-deceased by his parents, Carlton Andrew Conners and Ruth Moore Conners. He is remembered fondly by family and friends from the many places he lived and worked.
Wayne earned a Bachelor of Theater Arts degree from Northeastern University, and a Master of Instructional Technology from the Curry School at The University of Virginia. Most recently he enjoyed his position as Senior Director, Member Education Services at The American Institute of Architects. His career in professional education also included working for Virginia Society AIA, VCU Department of Psychiatry, and Anderson Consulting.
Wayne had a lifelong love of music and theater. An accomplished musician, singer and actor, he was a member of Commonwealth Baptist Church and active in the music ministry. He played in many bands, most recently appearing as The Big Weenie in Miss Clairol & the Cocktail Weenies. Often his wicked sense of humor was tested during UVA vs Virginia Tech football games where he lost bets to his wife, but Hoo Basketball gifted him with a national championship that more than balanced the books. A voracious and eclectic reader, he often read to Missy as she cooked or before sleep.
A memorial Service will be held at Commonwealth Baptist Church, 700 Commonwealth Ave. Alexandria, VA 22301, Saturday, January 4, 2020 at 1 pm. Reception to follow.
To honor his gratitude for the benefits he received from melanoma cancer research and treatment, Wayne became an advocate with the Melanoma Research Foundation and co-founder of the support group Living with Melanoma Alexandria. To extend his hope for a cure for others facing melanoma, the family requests you GetNaked for a skin check and consider a donation in his memory to the Melanoma Research Foundation (melanoma.org/).
Y'all, I'm being just where I am, and have the blessing of family here with me making sure the trains run on time. I'm so, so very sad, and will have a lot of work in front of me to learn to live without Wayne beside me each day, but I will, somehow.
I'm going to need to go quiet here for a while, so I will depend on this community to continue to help one another as you know well how to do.
Cancer sucks, but love is greater.
Peace,
Missy
