Wayne Leroy Fread

October 29, 1931 - November 23, 2020

Wayne Leroy Fread, 89, of Soap Lake, passed away on Monday, Nov. 23, 2020, at Columbia Crest Center in Moses Lake, Washington.

Wayne was born Oct. 29, 1931, the son of Earl and Elsa (Ide) Fread in Manley, Iowa. His father was a farmer and his mother, a schoolteacher. He had four brothers, Maurice, Howard, Dean, Charles and sister, Doris (Fread) Slack.

He graduated from Hood River High School in 1950. In high school, Wayne played football, baseball and basketball and was also on the boxing team. He was the junior class secretary in 1949.

Wayne joined the Navy after graduation in 1950 during the Korean War. He went to Navy Radioman School, then was stationed aboard the USS Whetstone LSD-27. He participated during the landing of the battle of Inchon, Korea, 1951, the sea battle of Wonsan, 1952, and the evacuation of the U.S. Army and Marines troops at the 38th Parallel in Hungnam, Korea, 1952. He was awarded three Bronze Stars with the Korean Service Medal, Occupation Japan Medal and the United Nations Medal, and received the Korean Presidential Unit Citation Medal. He was honorably discharged from the U.S. Navy in 1954.

After serving his country, Wayne worked for Boeing Flight Test Center for one year at Moses Lake, Washington; a salesman for three years with the National “Literary Association” in Terre Haute, Indiana, and attended Butler Community College for two years in Butler, Pennsylvania. He moved back to Moses Lake and worked as salesman for Wonder Bread for 15 years. In 1990, he made his journey to Barrow, Alaska, and worked as a corrections officer for the Department of Corrections. After retiring from Alaska in 2001, Wayne moved on to Soap Lake to drive a transportation van for “People for People” for 15 years.

Wayne loved all sports. He was a longtime fan of the Ephrata High School Tigers (Washington). He was an avid fisherman who cast lines in numerous lakes, streams and oceans in search of the "big one".

He attended the Evangelical Free Church in Soap Lake and was also a member of the Bread of Life Church in Ephrata.

Wayne is survived by his wife, Molly, of Soap Lake, his daughter, Sonja (Scott) Massey of Hayesville, N.C.; numerous grandchildren and great-grandchildren, and nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents, brothers and sister; and sons, Terry and Randy, and daughter, Bonnie Hitzroth.

Graveside services will be in the spring of 2021. The date will be announced.

Please express your thoughts and memories for the family at https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__www.nicolesfuneralhome.com&d=DwIGaQ&c=V6RwJ6H35feIEOPTfw4cSA&r=aPe_bj-SD0Cki0IT6Nzzs8AQlV11lBuX5PxxriRspdg&m=mgfnwxzcEZEhY1FmmzLMtJ3bwfdSaVCXGs1LGbop1-Q&s=cTCRoYyonxP9C1v053fbf3jii9AdcpggcR_mlVByxtQ&e=. Arrangements are under the care of Nicoles Funeral Home of Ephrata, Washington.