Ralph "Wayne" Simister

Our beloved father, grandfather, great-grandfather, brother, uncle, and friend, Ralph Wayne Simister, passed away peacefully from natural causes on November 12, 2025. Wayne was 92 years old.

Wayne was born to loving parents, Ralph Woodrow and Dora Thorne Simister, at home on January 29, 1933, in Salt Lake City, Utah. As the oldest in the family, Wayne was admired by his siblings and had a close relationship with them growing up and throughout his life. As a young man, Wayne had a keen interest in electronics, chemistry, and photography. He built his own radio station, WSL Radio, after obtaining an FCC license, which he was very proud of. He also created a photography lab and a chemistry lab in his home. He graduated from East High School in Salt Lake City in 1950. After high school, Wayne served in the U.S. Army first at Nike Guided Missile Electronic School in Fort Monmouth, NJ, and then at White Sands Missile Range, working with the electronics for guided missile systems. On weekends, while serving in the army, Wayne fulfilled a lifetime dream working as an announcer and operating the transmitter on Sundays at KGRT, a radio station in Las Cruces, NM. Following his service in the army, he graduated from the University of Utah in 1961 with a bachelor's degree in Business and later in 1972 with a master's degree in Speech/Communication.

Wayne married the love of his life, Dianne Ruth Christensen, on October 12, 1961, in the Salt Lake Temple. Together they lovingly raised their three children, Jeffrey, Judy, and James. While raising their family, Wayne worked for the University of Utah in Instructional Television. Later, he worked for KSL Radio and then as the business manager for KSL Television News. Many Sundays, Wayne could be found working behind the scenes at the Mormon Tabernacle Choir's Sunday broadcasts for their Music and the Spoken Word.

Family life included many fond memories of short trips to visit hot springs and Utah's western deserts as well as local historical sites. In the early years, Wayne, Dianne, Jeffrey and Judy spent many hours roller skating. Favorite family vacations found them traveling to Yellowstone National Park. The entire family grew to love the nature, wonder, and geology of Yellowstone.

Wayne continued his interest in electronics as a hobby and booby-trapped the family home with all sorts of burglar alarms, detectors, and gadgets that both amazed and confounded his children and grandchildren. He also loved magnets, which were often gifted en masse to his entire family. Their home had mostly "touch plate" switches for lighting, something unheard of at the time. He even obtained a patent on his unique touch plate lighting system. His keen interest in science and computers was lifelong, leading to designing and building two home computers from scratch, then later developing and refining his "One Button Home" and many other "One Button" gadgets well into his retired years. One of his favorite sayings was, "Think it, and you can do it," and "The more you know, the more you want to know." Wayne valued knowledge very highly.

Wayne and his brother Roger shared a passion for both electronics and film. Together, they started Automated Sound, a small business specializing in synchronizing sound to movie film. Their customers included the Hansen Planetarium in Salt Lake City, among others. As part of that work, he developed a close friendship with Paul Hansen to synchronize live theater organ music to silent films. Wayne and Paul spent many hours recording live theater organ music by renowned organists. His children were thrilled to witness many of those live recordings and gain an appreciation for silent film classics and great music.

Wayne carried on his love of movies and music within his family. He made movies starring the whole family over the years, and his grandchildren continue the tradition today. He enjoyed composing several of his own songs, creating multiple albums that he donated to the Salt Lake City Library. Some of his music was used and credited in an independent film called "Sublet". He was a gifted storyteller, entertaining his children and grandchildren with wonderful stories and fantastical tales. Wayne will be deeply missed by all who knew him.

Wayne is survived by his two sons, Jeffrey (Connie) and James (Amber) Simister, his daughter Judy (Doug) Lamb, as well as 10 beloved grandchildren and 8 great-grandchildren. He is also survived by his younger siblings, Roger (Sherelle) Simister, Deanna (Bob) Neeley, and Renae House. He was preceded in death by his loving wife and parents.

We extend loving thanks to Wayne's hospice team and the medical caregivers who tenderly cared for him.

A celebration of Wayne's life will take place on Saturday, December 13, 2025, at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints First Ward chapel (1078 S McClelland Street, Salt Lake City, Utah 84105) from 3:00 – 5:00 PM.