Wayne Douglas Gander

Wayne D. Gander, residing at the Pine View Alzheimer’s Facility and a former Cheney, Washington, resident died Wednesday evening, December 30, 2009, at the Hospice House in Spokane Washington.  Wayne was born at Leahy Junction, Northeast of Coulee City, Washington April 15, 1925 to Nathan and Claribel Gander. He graduated from Coulee City High school and enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1946. He spent his tour of duty at Fort Lewis, Washington.  Wayne worked for the Agricultural Stabilization Conservation Service in Ephrata, Washington and later as office manager in Othello. Resulting from budget constraints in 1967 the Othello ASCS office was permanently closed. After seventeen years of service there, Wayne embarked upon a new profession and moved to Cheney, Washington in February of 1968. He was the Farmers Insurance Agent for many years. He also worked full-time at Lakeland Village, and later retired from Eastern Washington University in 1987 as a janitorial supervisor. Wayne was an avid rock hound, and he spent much time digging for and discovering many interesting rocks from all over the country. He loved the outdoors and spent lots of time working in the yard and tending to the many varieties of flowers that he and his wife Agnes of thirty years loved so dearly. He and his present wife, Pat, have also had many memorable experiences for the past seventeen years traveling and enjoying their beautiful home and yard in Spangle, and in the Spokane Valley. Two years ago, Wayne and Pat moved to the Evergreen Fountains Senior Living Community in the Spokane Valley. Wayne was preceded in death by his parents, a sister Virginia, and wife Agnes. He is survived by his wife Pat and her three children, Gary, Patti, & Bob; three children from a prior marriage, Lawana Sellers of Spokane Valley, Russell of Aurora, Colorado, & Jeff (Jonie) of Colbert, his brother, Willis Dodge, of Tacoma, three stepchildren, John Goodrich (Jan) of Liberty Lake, Jim Goodrich (Virginia) of Cheney, and Deborah Chittenden of Soap Lake, including many grandchildren and great-grandchildren.  Cheney Funeral Chapel is in charge of the arrangements. A Funeral Service was held at 10:00 A.M. on Tuesday, January 5, 2010, at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, 2536 North 6th, Cheney, Washington.