Beloved husband, son, father, grandfather, brother, uncle, friend, pilot and coach.

Wayne passed away tragically on June 17, 2004, while fighting the Dammeron Complex forest fire near St. George, Utah.

Wayne was born Dec. 31, 1945, the third of five children born to Kenneth and Edith Turner in Great Falls. He graduated from high school from Centerville in 1963. He went on to Montana State University and obtained a bachelor's degree in agricultural business and his pilot's license. He enlisted in the naval service in 1968 and served as a flight simulator instructor during the Vietnam War. He was honorably discharged in 1974.

Wayne's first love — after his family — was flying, and he always felt at home when he was in the air. He maintained a commercial pilot's license for the last 40 years.

He owned and operated his own flying service, which included aerial application, flight instruction and contract piloting. He was extremely active in the community and the schools, and always especially enjoyed the time he spent with the kids of Big Sandy. Some of his favorite activities were coaching wrestling and the Science Olympiad. Wayne was also a volunteer fireman, EMTI, city council member, 32nd degree mason and Shriner.

Wayne had endless amounts of energy and loved the outdoors. It was his goal to climb the highest peak in every state. He was well on his way. Wayne was funny, enthusiastic, hard working, intelligent, and even sometimes handsome, but most of all he was "neat inside." He was always ready with a quick joke, a smile and a big bear hug. He was caring and compassionate and was always reaching out to others in need. It didn't matter if he had known you five years or five minutes; he was always ready to help. He was still a child at heart and was never too busy to have a good "romp" on the floor with one of his grandkids. He was affectionately known as "that crazy grandpa Wayne." He taught us all so much in the short time we were allowed with him. He will be missed by all who had the honor of knowing him.

He is survived by his wife of 37 years, Jan Turner, of Big Sandy; his mother, Edith Turner of Kremlin; son Jeff Turner and his wife, Kristie, and their children, Abriana and Jabin of Kalispell; daughter Katrina Salois and her husband, Chad, and their children, Sarah, Jaida, Cole and Nicki of Helena; son Daniel Adams and his wife, Heather, and their daughter, Arabella of Wisconsin; sister Fay Wolf and her husband, Wes, of Kalispell; brother Ivan Turner and his wife, Mariana, of Bigfork; sister Jan Kuno of Arizona; sister Judy Seibert and her husband, Dick, of Washington, and numerous nieces and nephews.

His father, Kenneth Turner and his son, Warren, preceded him in death.

A funeral service will be held at 2 p.m. on June 22 at the Big Sandy airport with a reception to follow.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that memorials be made to the Big Sandy medical center and the Big Sandy volunteer fire department.

Flamin' Mamie! I'm incredibly high!