Wayne Ray Korhonen

Wayne Ray Korhonen, 75, of Cheyenne, died on May 21, 2022 in Cheyenne.
He was born on November 30, 1946 in Cheyenne to Reino Osmo Korhonen and Kathryn Korhonen and was an only child .
Wayne graduated from Cheyenne Central High School in 1965, graduated from the University of Wyoming in 1974 with a Bachelors of Education and Lesley College, Cambridge, MA with a Master of Education. Wayne had an additional 30 plus hours of class room study.
Wayne was a History Teacher having first worked at Torrington Junior High, then at Johnson Junior High, Cheyenne and East High School, Cheyenne, where he retired in 2004.
Wayne was chosen as the Laramie County High School; Teacher of the Year, 1996-97.
In 1997, Wayne was chosen along with Pam Steel to attend the Arthur and Rochelle Belfer National Conference for 2 weeks in Washington D.C. at the Holocaust Museum. Wayne and Pam were the only two educators chosen from Wyoming to attend this event. This event had a profound effect on Wayne.
Wayne received the 2004 Outstanding Teacher Award from the VFW. In 1994, 1996, 1998, and 2000, Wayne was listed in Who's Who Among American Teachers.
After his retirement, Wayne organized the first and only chapter of the Play It Smart Program in Wyoming at East High School. Wayne was the Academic Coach for the student athletes involved with the football team. The Play It Smart Program is a part of the National Football Foundation College Hall of Fame. East High School distinguished itself as one of the “Top 10” Play It Smart Programs among 146 highs schools in the nation.
Wayne was a volunteer at the Cheyenne Frontier Days Public Relations Committee for over 35 years and was honored to be chosen as the PR Chairman for the years 1999, 2000, and 2001. He was the Co-Chairman for three years of the Relay for Life held at Okie Blanchard Stadium for the American Cancer Society. Wayne also served for 7 years on the Board of Directors of Special Friends and as Program Director 2004/2005. He was a youth mentor for several young people attending Confirmation Classes at our church, First United Methodist Church in Cheyenne.
He is survived by his wife of almost 40 years, Nadine; his daughter, Julie; and his step daughter Kristine.
Wayne was preceded in death by his father, Reino Osmo Korhonen; his mother, Kathryn Korhonen; and his son, Jeffrey Korhonen.
Services will be Wednesday, June 1st, at 10:00 a.m., at Wiederspahn-Radomsky Chapel. Military honors and burial will follow at Cheyenne National Cemetery at 12:00 p.m.
There will be a reception from 1:00 pm to 3:30 pm at the Buckle Club at Frontier Park.