Wayne D. Aldrich

Wayne was a devoted husband to the “love of his life”, Rosemary Weese. He married Rosemary on December 2, 1977 which was the happiest day of his life. The two were life long companions and friends.

Wayne, 80, died Saturday, May 21, 2022 after several strokes and a vascular dementia diagnosis in 2017. He lived at the Starfish Village at the time of his death.

Wayne was born on May 5, 1942 in Forest City, Iowa to Paul & Ruth Aldrich. Wayne served in the United States Navy from 1966-1972. He attended the Naval Guided Missiles School in Dam Neck, Va. He completed the rigorous professional requirements for qualification in nuclear submarines. He served on the U.S.S. Andrew Jackson and U.S.S. Kamehameha during the Vietnam War.

Wayne attended school in Colorado Springs, CO for training in the field of Biomedical Electronics. He worked at Trinity Regional Hospital in Fort Dodge, IA for 6 years as the first biomedical electronics technician at that hospital.

Wayne & Rosemary decided to relocate to Tucson, AZ in 1980. Wayne converted a van into a camper. They traveled for 4 months & drove 22,000 miles visiting every state in the lower 48. They had a life time experience & loved the adventure.

Wayne worked at University Medical Center (Banner UMC) for 27 years in Biomedical Engineering Department. He was a supervisor and a technical support specialist for Clinical and Radiology Engineering.

Wayne was the ultimate handyman. He could fix, repair, build, design, and invent anything that crossed his path. He was always working on or planning a new project.

Wayne was a volunteer for the Red Cross. He taught basic first aid and CPR. He donated blood when called upon for 30 years. He was a Disaster Relief Team member.

Wayne and Rosemary’s first date was walking in a local state park in Fort Dodge. They continued to hike hundreds of trails over the years. One of their most challenging hikes was to the top of Humphrey’s Peak in Flagstaff, AZ. They walked on the Mendenhall glacier which was also quite an adventure.

Wayne is survived by his wife, Rosemary, his brother, Loren, his nieces and nephews.

Wayne was preceded in death by his mother Ruth, his father Paul, his brothers Lyle, Leroy, and Dennis.

Wayne will always be remembered as a being a kind soul by the people who loved him, knew him, and cared for him. He was a great listener. He was sincere, generous, and respected for his integrity. He was always positive and enjoyed every day of his life.

The family would like to send a special thanks to the staff of Emblem Hospice who took such great care of him.

A memorial service is scheduled for Monday, June 13, 2022 from 2:00 – 4:00PM at Sensible Cremations located at 109 W. Grant Road in Tucson, Arizona.