George Emil "Judd" Wainwright

George Emil Wainwright, 91, of Oscoda, passed away in the early morning hours of Wednesday, April 16, 2025 at Oscoda Fields Assisted Living Facility in Oscoda.
He was born on a potato farm in Munger on April 1, 1934, the ninth and youngest child of Frederick and Virginia (Neering) Wainwright.
He liked to let people know he was named after his two grandfathers, George Wainwright and Emil Neering. But to most, he was known as Judd, a nickname given to him when he was very young by his siblings.
In 1952 Judd graduated from Arenac Eastern High School in Twining and attended the University of Michigan for one year before enlisting in the United States Army for two years.
Judd married the love of his life and high school sweetheart, Nancy June Bronson, on Sept. 10, 1955 at Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church in Turner. During the early years of their marriage they lived in the Detroit area while Judd was stationed at Selfridge Air Base and then in Mt. Pleasant, where he earned a bachelor's degree in teaching and master's degree in mathematics from Central Michigan University. He taught as a high school mathematics teacher for one year at Mt. Pleasant High School.
In 1962 Judd and Nancy moved north, eventually locating in Oscoda, where Judd began a teaching career spanning over 30 years at Oscoda High School. He was also a drivers ed teacher, a football coach, and an award winning wrestling coach. His wrestling coaching accomplishments included two state championships, three league titles, five district titles, a four-time Michigan Wrestling Association Regional Wrestling Coach of the Year honoree, a Michigan High School Wrestling Coaches Association Hall of Fame honoree, a National Federation of State High School Associations record book holder achieving 300 career victories in 1985, and the National High School Athletic Coaches Association Regional Wrestling Coach of the Year in 1993, among several other honors. In 2017 Mr. Wainwright was inducted into the Oscoda High School Athletic Hall of Fame.
During the summer months beginning in the mid-1970s, Judd began Raindance Sprinkling Systems, an irrigation business which became his full time occupation upon retiring from teaching in the mid-1990s until his death.
He was a member of Sacred Heart Catholic Church, Oscoda Yacht Club, Lakewood Shores Property Owners Association, and "dinner club." In his spare time he enjoyed playing golf and traveling.
Judd is survived by his daughter, Lisa L. (Gary) Mandeville of Oscoda and their children, Eric R. Joseph of Florida and Stephanie L. Smith of Holly; his daughter, Kari K. Wainwright of Oscoda; three sisters-in-law, Constance Gillings of Oscoda, Victoria (Grant) Duley of Sandusky and Jeanette Bronson of Cheboygan; and several beloved nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Nancy, on Dec. 16, 2015; his parents; and all of his siblings and their spouses, Winifred (Frank) Adamouski; Margaret (Ed) Lesperance; Mary (James) Finn; Dorothy (Norbert) VanOchten; John (Ellen Feavyear) Wainwright; Joseph (Vera Rapp) Wainwright; Aileen (Ben) Shepp; and F. James Wainwright.
Visitation will be Thursday, April 24 at Buresh Funeral Home from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. A funeral Mass will be celebrated at Sacred Heart Catholic Church of Oscoda on Friday, April 25 at noon. There will also be a visitation at the church beginning at 11 a.m., one hour before the service. Burial will take place in Sacred Heart Catholic Cemetery. Condolences may be offered online at www.bureshfuneralhomes.com.