Wayne Alan Zwickle

Wayne Alan Zwickle

Feb. 3, 1940 - Dec. 16, 2019

OBERLIN, Kan. — Wayne Alan Zwickle, Oberlin, 79, was born Feb. 3, 1940, in a farmhouse two miles west of Traer to Walter and Lora (Cox) Zwickle. Four years later the family bought and moved to the farm southwest of Oberlin, where Wayne developed his love for all things farm related – farm equipment, crops, livestock and hunting on the land. Through life experiences he became an expert in all those subjects.

Known for his story-telling ability, Wayne could hold people’s attention with the vast knowledge he’d gained, not from books, but from life itself. Many stories were told about places he’d been, people he’d met and the experiences of having been a successful salesman - at one time Wayne was one of the top three Hesston salesman in the United States; having a custom swathing service at the same time as running his well-known gun store, Wayne’s Gun and Trailer Sales, and managing ranchers’ herds of cattle with the help of his sidekicks, Jason Fortin, Richard Lambert and Clyde Younkin. In his younger days, Wayne worked for Safeway in Oberlin, McCook, Neb., and Salina, Kan., and worked as a glazier for Pittsburgh Plate Glass in Salina.

While in Salina, Wayne met and married Phyllis Pacey from Ellsworth, Kan. They moved to Ellsworth where Wayne ran heavy equipment for his father-in-law who had a dirt construction business building dams, terraces and waterways for farmers and ranchers. Wayne developed bleeding ulcers and was told by his doctor he needed to switch careers. Luckily, a local farm equipment dealer was looking for a salesman and thus Wayne’s career selling farm equipment began.

Wayne and Phyllis had four children and during their 58 years of marriage lived in three different states and nine different towns due to the fact that Wayne’s reputation for selling got around and he was offered jobs all over. Their last move was to Oberlin to be near Wayne’s mom and retire, but Wayne just couldn’t sit still so he started Equipment Locator in Oberlin. He was sitting at his desk having just sold a skid steer (his favorite thing to sell) when he became ill. He was flown by helicopter to Grand Island, Neb., and several days later was taken by ambulance to Denver. He was to be rehabilitated but there were complications and he passed away Dec. 16, 2019.

Wayne was a faithful member of the United Church of Oberlin, where he loved to sing praise songs and fellowship with his church family.

He was preceded in death by his parents; sister, Phyllis Nicholson; two nephews, Randy Nicholson and Ed Pacey; his father and mother-in-law, Leslie and Anita Pacey; and sister-in-law, Irene Pacey.

Left to mourn Wayne’s passing are his wife, Phyllis and daughter, Amy of the home; sons, Tom (Connie) Zwickle of McCook, Dan (Traci) Zwickle of Arvada, Colo., and daughter, Lori Olson (Ryan) of Topeka, Kan.; six grandchildren, Brandy (Chris) Marvel of Arvada, Colo., Britny (Jeff) Fanning of Arvada, Zayne and Taylor Godbout and Natalie and Reagan Olson of Topeka; great grandchildren, Kiefer, Harper and Beau Marvel and Quinton and Grayson Fanning; a brother-in-law, Larry Pacey of Ellsworth and nephew, Rick (Bonnie) Nicholson of Salina; and many friends and other relatives.

A memorial service is planned for Spring 2020.