Wayne Kamps, 72
Wayne was born September 3, 1941, in Spokane, WA, and passed at Hospice House on January 10, 2014.
He was raised in Post Falls, Idaho, and graduated from Post Falls High School in1959. He took his gift of gab and his love of people to his first job in grocery retailing at Farvers Market at the age of 14. Always interested in his community, he noticed a pretty girl sunbathing in a neighbor's yard. He courted and married Myrna L. Soles of Spokane in 1961, and they were blessed with a daughter, Nona Rae. The young family moved to Spokane, where Wayne went to work for Albertsons and later with the Round Up company in the Spokane Valley.
In the fall of 1974, personal tragedy sent Wayne on a journey of redefining his life. He accepted a position as Trading Post Manager for the Colville Confederated Tribes on the Nespelem reservation. Wayne was honored and proud to serve in this capacity for the Tribal Council, and as a gesture of respect Wayne was given the prestigious beaver skin hat, a symbol of authority. To his last days he recalled this as one of his proudest achievements.
In the fall of 1976, he was offered a position with American Strevall and moved to Missoula, MT. 1980-1984 found him with Pierce Meat Packing and back in Spokane as their District Manager. He changed gears in 1985, going into hardware merchandising with the Cotter Company/True Value Hardware serving 80 stores in the Northwest. In his first year, he was honored with induction into the prestigious "Presidents Club." 1989 found Wayne at Jensen-Byrd as Training Manager for five western states.
Then in 1990 he met and later married Wanda, the current love of his life. In 1992 heart disease changed Wayne's direction and energies to retirement and hobbies ... for about three weeks! Wayne then turned to his love of organizing, using his family as his "testing ground." However his family failed to cooperate and outside interests were actively pursued. Finally in 2006 he found his "playground" in retirement, becoming the "Captain" of Country Vista Carwash in Liberty Lake, WA. The owner, Roger Dreckman, was allowed to be his "Lieutenant." This became an amazing opportunity for Wayne to meet the rest of eastern Washington who had not yet crossed his path!
Our family has been blessed to have the love and companionship of this True Type-A, Go-to-Guy, and Renaissance Man. We miss him deeply and are applying what he taught us: To fill the emptiness in our hearts with the memories he left with each of us. And he trained us to "find the laughter in all things because it is the balm that heals a broken heart."
Wayne was preceded in death by his parents, Henry Kamps and Martha Laakonen-Kamps; sister, Judy; wife, Myrna Soles-Kamps; second wife, Carolyn Bennett-Kamps, and his four-legged companions, Odie-Joe and Tootsie-Lou.
Wayne is survived by his wife of 23 years, Wanda Koch-Kamps; his daughter, Nona, and husband Terry Eirls; brother, Lonnie and sister-in-law, Myra Kamps; sister, Kathy Kamps and partner, Albert
Suttman; step-daughter, Kellie Anderson and partner, Jim Curry; step-son, Jason Rine and partner, Niccole Bove; as well as numerous grandchildren, great grandchildren, nieces and nephews.
The family would like to thank the following medical facilities, staff and personnel for their expertise, commitment, care and friendship over many years of devotion: Spokane Cardiology - Dr.
Harold Goldberg, and Margie Undohl; Spokane Radiation Oncology - Dr.
J. Lance Griffith; Cancer Care NW - Dr. Peter J. Schlegel; Spokane Internal Medicine - Vicki M. Hoerner; and Hospice of Spokane.
In Lieu of flowers, the family requests that a donation be made to Hospice of Spokane, a non-profit organization devoted to the care and comfort of the patient and their families. A funeral service will be held Thursday January 16, 2 p.m. at English Funeral Chapel, 1700 N. Spokane St., Post Falls, ID. Please sign Wayne's online registry at www.englishfuneralchapel.com