Anthony Wayne Walters

Anthony Wayne Walters, 74, of Lexington, formerly of Magnolia, passed away Thursday evening, May 22, 2014, at his secondary residence in North Port, Florida.

He was born Sept. 18, 1939, to Thomas J. and Helen (Druen) Walters. Wayne was the last graduate of Magnolia High School in 1958, before the school was consolidated to LaRue County High School. His father, a member of the Board of Education, presented him that last diploma. The Class of '58 was a close knit group and had many wonderful times and memories together, both during school, after graduation and many reunions. He joined the U.S. Air Force in 1961. He was stationed at Chennault Air Force Base in Lake Charles, Louisiana, and Fairchild Air Force Base in Spokane, Washington, and served as base fireman and housing inspector. After four years of service, he returned to Elizabethtown and his previous employer, Bussmann. After working for Rex Chainbelt in Louisville for a number of years as stock room supervisor, he took his career a different direction, becoming an Occupational Safety and Health (OSHA) inspector covering 31 counties in Kentucky. He became an education and training officer, traveling to businesses, particularly manufacturers, across Kentucky to advance safety of employees in the workplace. He assisted in developing a number of safety publications in this role. Under Secretary of Labor Carol Palmore, he became the Kentucky OSHA safety manager. He retired July 1999, after 31 years of "living and breathing" safety rules and regulations. Wayne enjoyed his retirement with grandchildren, traveling with his wife and staying at his Florida home in the winter and returning to his Lexington home for the summer. The Lexington home was a gathering place for family, friends and neighbors.

He is survived by his wife of 52 years, Elizabeth (Libbie) Stith Walters, formerly of Rineyville; three sons and their wives, James (Todd) and Ann of Sarasota, Florida, Scot and Marnie of Frankfort and Matthew and Jennifer of Nicholasville; Wayne's pride and greatest joy, his grandchildren, Darrell, 16, and Nicole, 14, of Sarasota, Margi, 9, of Frankfort and Hagen, 2½, of Nicholasville; Wayne's mother, Helen Walters Middleton; two brothers and their wives, Buren "Butch" and Patricia, and Howard "Burt" and Beverly; and a sister and her husband, Nancy and Stephen Park.

Wayne will be greatly missed by his family and friends.

The funeral is at 3 p.m. Friday, May 30, at Brown Funeral Home in Elizabethtown with the Rev. Mitch Ash, Libbie's cousin, officiating. Burial follows at 4:15 p.m. in Red Hill Cemetery.

Visitation is from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Friday at the funeral home.

Expressions of sympathy may take the form of donations to a charity or school of your choice to help Wayne "pay it forward" one more time.