It is with heavy hearts that we announce the passing of Jessie Wayne Stanfield, who went to be with the Lord on November 14, 2024, at the age of 77. He was taken way too soon and he will be missed by all who knew him.

Wayne was born in Foreman, Arkansas, on July 13, 1947 to his parents Sidney and Georgia Stanfield. He was the sixth of their eight children. As a young man, Wayne and his family moved several times before ending up in Bieber, California where his father found employment in the saw mills, and they lived there until the family built a house in New Bieber. Wayne was involved in all the activities of a young man growing up. He would hunt and fish with his brothers, and as he got older he attended Big Valley High School, where he played football and basketball. You wouldn’t know it now from his quiet demeanor, but Wayne was selected as both Prom King and the Student Body President during his time in school. He graduated in 1965 in a class of 25 students, and he went back to Bieber often for high school reunions to celebrate and stay connected to his schoolmates.

After high school, Wayne put himself through college and earned an AA degree from the College of the Siskiyous. He would work all summer to earn and save up just enough money to pay for his next fall semester of classes each year. He was a hard worker from the very start. Upon graduating from college, Wayne enlisted in the United States Navy. He served his country for four years from 1968-1972. He was first stationed at the Centerville Beach Naval Station in Ferndale as a Radioman. It was during his time at Centerville that he met a local girl, the love of his life, Betsy Nesmith. They met in March of 1970 and were married eight months later on November 28, 1970. Wayne then took his new bride to his second duty station at Midway Island in the Pacific Theater. While on Midway, the couple welcomed their first born son Jeff into the world in July of 1972. Wayne ended his Navy service and was honorably discharged in October of that same year.

Back on the mainland, Wayne and his small family moved to Klamath Falls, Oregon, where he worked at a molding mill. In 1974, Wayne’s father-in-law Bill invited them to move back to Fortuna for him to start as an apprentice in the local Carpenters Union. He worked for a few different companies until he found his forever job with Sequoia Construction Specialties, owned and operated by Jim and Brian Pritchard. Wayne was a skilled carpenter, hard worker, and dedicated union member. He remained active and continued paying dues to the Carpenters Union for over 50 years up until his passing. Wayne and Betsy Stanfield would go on to add two more boys to their family, Jeremy in 1975 and Josh in 1980. They bought the home that Betsy’s dad had built on Tompkins Hill just outside of Fortuna, where they would raise their family and live for the next 40 years.

Church and humble service to others were major parts of Wayne’s life. He was always willing to give his time and talents to the church, other congregation members and his community, and would rarely accept any money or accolades for his kindness and generosity. After his retirement in 2004, he continued to bless others with the carpentry skills that the Lord gave him by providing acts of service. He and Betsy attended the Presbyterian Church of the Redeemer for the last ten years, and his handy work is visible all throughout the building. The remodeled kitchen, the additional bathroom, and numerous other maintenance projects are all examples of how Wayne chose to quietly serve God and others. You can also see his work all over the community. He built many ramps for the elderly, and constructed various projects at Redwood Preparatory Charter School where his grandkids went.

The best way to describe him is that he was a hardworking, loyal, dedicated family man and a humble servant of the Lord. He gave without thought of reward and he gave wherever he saw a need. A scripture that reminds us all of how he lived his life and how he would show up is Colossians 3:23, “Work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than people.” Another example of his generous spirit was his mission to always donate blood when he could. He was happy to give at every opportunity, and he was proud of donating nearly twelve gallons of blood over the last ten years. In addition to his construction career, Wayne loved woodworking, and always had a project going on in his woodshop. He built furniture, made playhouses and tree forts for his grandkids, crafted beautiful cutting boards, and made many a birdhouse. He donated many pieces of his work to local charity auctions or fundraisers for the various activities his kids and grandkids were involved in. In retirement, Wayne and Betsy loved to travel in their cab-over camper. They often traveled up and down the West Coast, and also went on several cross-country trips. True to who he was, most of the trips consisted of going to see family while taking in the sights along the way.

Wayne is preceded in death by his beloved parents Sid and Georgia, His father-in-law and mother-in-law Bill and Virginia Nesmith, his brother Sid Jr., brother-in-law Dolan and some extended younger family members. He is survived by his wife and life partner of nearly 54 years of marriage, Betsy, his sons Jeff (Sue), Jeremy (Lareesa), and Josh (Lyndsey), as well as his brothers Carl, Jim (Corinne), Charlie, and Joe (Cindy), his sisters Pat, and Faye, his brothers-in-law Norman (Marilyn), and James (Mayme), his sister-in-law Bonnie (John), numerous nieces and nephews plus his seven grandkids and four great-grandkids. Family was the pride of Wayne’s life. From supporting his granddaughter Allison in her travels abroad, working on projects with his grandson Greg, attending cheerleading activities for his granddaughter Carlee, and his great granddaughter Abby that gave him the nickname ‘PapaGreat’, there was nothing that brought him more joy. He is gone too soon and he will be greatly missed. We share great comfort in the realization that Wayne led a full, Godly life and died as he lived, secure in his relationship with his Heavenly Father. Though he is no longer with us, we know that he is safe in the presence of the Lord. He will forever be remembered for his love of his family, his generosity and his willingness to quietly help all who needed it.

A memorial service will be held at the Fortuna Presbyterian Church of the Redeemer at 1431 Ross Hill Road, Saturday, November 30 at 2 p.m., followed by a reception in the fellowship hall. Family and friends of Wayne are invited to attend. Those who would like to commemorate Wayne may consider donating blood or making a love offering to their local church.

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The obituary above was submitted on behalf of Wayne Stanfield’s loved ones. The Lost Coast Outpost runs obituaries of Humboldt County residents at no charge. See guidelines here. Email news@lostcoastoutpost.com.