Nolan Wayne Wingo, beloved husband, father, grandfather, teacher, mentor and friend, passed away peacefully on the morning of Jan. 8, with family by his side, from complications with dementia.
Born in Dickens, Texas, Wayne moved to California with his family as a boy, living in Corcoran, Napa and Patterson. After graduating from Patterson High School in 1948, he attended Modesto Junior College where he met his wife of 56 years, Ernestine (Ernie) Cassino. He served three years in the Coast Guard before graduating from Fresno State in 1957.
In 1957, he began his 33-year career at Livingston High School, teaching chemistry, physics, electronics and general science. In 1967, Wayne was awarded a National Science Foundation grant and received his Masters degree from the University of Utah. The passion and enthusiasm he brought to his classroom, and as a wrestling and track coach, touched the lives of many of his students and will always remain a part of his legacy.
After retirement, Wayne continued to enjoy his life-long passions of camping, fishing, photography, gardening (especially his beloved grapes) and entertaining family and friends. In recent years, he also volunteered with the preservation of the wood duck and salmon environments in the San Joaquin Valley.
He is survived by his wife Ernie; children, Brian (Debbie) of Tracy, Greg (Cindy) of Seattle and Barbara (Francisco) of South San Francisco; brother, Jim of Fortuna; and grandchildren, Sarah, Megan, Natalie, Matthew and Alessandro.
A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. on Saturday, Jan. 23 at Turlock Funeral Home, 425 N. Soderquist Rd.
The family respectfully requests that, in lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made in his name to the Livingston High School Scholarship Fund, Attn: Laureen Cardoza, 1617 Main St., Livingston, CA 95330 or Grover Hot Springs State Park, c/o Bodie Foundation, P.O. Box 278, Bridgeport, CA 93517, www.bodiefoundation.org.
Born in Dickens, Texas, Wayne moved to California with his family as a boy, living in Corcoran, Napa and Patterson. After graduating from Patterson High School in 1948, he attended Modesto Junior College where he met his wife of 56 years, Ernestine (Ernie) Cassino. He served three years in the Coast Guard before graduating from Fresno State in 1957.
In 1957, he began his 33-year career at Livingston High School, teaching chemistry, physics, electronics and general science. In 1967, Wayne was awarded a National Science Foundation grant and received his Masters degree from the University of Utah. The passion and enthusiasm he brought to his classroom, and as a wrestling and track coach, touched the lives of many of his students and will always remain a part of his legacy.
After retirement, Wayne continued to enjoy his life-long passions of camping, fishing, photography, gardening (especially his beloved grapes) and entertaining family and friends. In recent years, he also volunteered with the preservation of the wood duck and salmon environments in the San Joaquin Valley.
He is survived by his wife Ernie; children, Brian (Debbie) of Tracy, Greg (Cindy) of Seattle and Barbara (Francisco) of South San Francisco; brother, Jim of Fortuna; and grandchildren, Sarah, Megan, Natalie, Matthew and Alessandro.
A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. on Saturday, Jan. 23 at Turlock Funeral Home, 425 N. Soderquist Rd.
The family respectfully requests that, in lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made in his name to the Livingston High School Scholarship Fund, Attn: Laureen Cardoza, 1617 Main St., Livingston, CA 95330 or Grover Hot Springs State Park, c/o Bodie Foundation, P.O. Box 278, Bridgeport, CA 93517, www.bodiefoundation.org.
