Obituary: Richard “Rick” Wayenberg
Richard (Rick) Allen
Wayenberg, of Pullman, died
Wednesday, July 27, 2022, following surgery at Providence Sacred Heart Medical
Center in Spokane, Wash., for an aortic aneurysm. He was 71.
Rick was born May 21,
1951, in Yakima, Wash., to Warren J. “Bub” and M. Janice Wayenberg. He was
raised on a 100-acre fruit ranch in the Moxee Holland district.
He attended Terrace
Heights Elementary School (Yakima) and graduated from East Valley High School
(Yakima) in 1969. He attended Yakima Valley College before studying at
Washington State University and graduating in 1973 with a degree in
Communications. He interned at the Camas (Wash.) Post-Record as a
reporter/photographer.
Rick was a sports editor
for the Bozeman (Mont.) Daily Chronicle, then a reporter for the Ketchikan
(Alaska) Daily News before returning to Pullman as a sports editor for the
Pullman Herald from 1974-76 and again 1980-81. Rick was a student teacher and
wrestling coach for Clarkston (Wash.) High School and earned his teaching
certificate in 1978 from WSU. Later he was an English teacher and wrestling
coach for Columbia High School, Richland, Wash.
He taught and coached
wrestling at Sutherlin (Ore.) High School and later spent two years (1981-83)
with the U.S. Sports Academy in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, and Manama, Bahrain, as
Public Relations Director promoting sports programs.
In 1984 he earned a M.S.
degree in physical education with emphasis in administration and public
relations from WSU. As part of the degree requirement Rick provided public
relations support for the WSU Department of Physical Education. He also served
as an WSU assistant wrestling coach. During his early years in Pullman he also
helped manage the photo/camera area of the White Drug Store.
A popular coach and
wrestling official, Rick coached club and Pullman High School wrestling.
In 1984 he moved to
Emmett, Idaho, where he taught junior high school language arts and coached
junior high and high school wrestling. Rick coached freestyle Greco Roman club
teams for 23 years and served as an official at regional, national and Olympic
Trials events for 30 years
He retired in 2006 and
moved to Pullman to be closer to family and the Cougar Nation. Rick went to
work for the Students Book Corporation (Bookie) in textbooks and became the
Bookie Too, manager until the store closed.
He was inducted into the
Idaho Chapter of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2008 for a lifetime of
service to wrestling…and most importantly to young people.
In Pullman he
reconnected with friends and began volunteering at Pullman Regional Hospital,
his favorite being at the Information Desk. He also enjoyed being on the chili
crew for the National Lentil Festival and the cotton candy gang for the
Chamber’s Fourth of July celebration at Sunnyside Park. Rick was always
available to help photograph the Junior Miss /Distinguished Young Women
Scholarship Program for media and help with Gladish Community and Cultural
Center activities. He seldom missed an estate sale in the area.
He officiated track and
field meets for Pullman Comets, PHS, WSU, University of Idaho, Eastern in
Washington University, USA Track and Field and Junior Olympic meets in the
region and WIAA/Washington Interscholastic Activities Association High School
state championship A/ B1/ B2 meets at EWU.
Rick is survived by his
son, Mike (Jenny) Stoneberg, grandson Kaiden and granddaughter Kira all of
Meridian, Idaho; his sister, Sue (Mike) Hinz of Pullman; nephews John
(Salustra) Hinz of Pullman, and Bill (Heather) Hinz of Eugene, Ore.;
great-nephews Archer of Spokane and Coen of Eugene; great-niece Eisley of
Eugene; Uncles Jerry, Jim, and Bob Talley, and one aunt, Dorothy Russell, all
of the Shreveport, La., area; one aunt, Sandra Sasser, of Livingston, Texas;
and many cousins and their growing families.
His parents and two
uncles preceded him in death.
The family recognizes
the efforts of Rick’s neighbors Freddy and Elsa Camacho, Pullman EMTs, Pullman
Regional Hospital Emergency Room staff, Life Flight crew members and Sacred
Heart surgeons on July 13 for extraordinary effort to get Rick the care he
needed.
A celebration of Rick’s
life is set for Saturday, Aug. 13, from 3-6 p.m.at the View Room of Gladish
Community and Cultural Center.
The family suggests that
support in Rick’s memory be made to local club or school wrestling programs,
patient services at Pullman Regional Hospital through its Foundation or other
community activities.
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