Wayne Summers

SUMMERS, FLOYD WAYNE "WAYNE" - Fayetteville, Arkansas
Floyd Wayne "Wayne" Summers, 91, entered his eternal home with the Lord on October 30, 2025. He was born on April 5, 1934, in Kansas City, Missouri, to Walter and Irene Summers, the youngest of six children. He was preceded in death by his parents and his siblings Walterene Knecht, Donald, Robert, Kenneth, and Harold Summers. He was the last of his generation to be called home.
He is survived by his wife of 66 years, Mildred Eloise Woods Summers; and three sons, David, Stephen (Melani), and Daniel (Deborah).
Grandchildren include Lauren Gibney (Derek), Jordan Berner (Caleb), and Katelyn Summers, children of Stephen and Melani; and Justin Summers, Kaele Donaldson (Caleb), and Timothy Summers, children of Daniel and Deborah.
Great-grandchildren are Jimmy Charles "J.C." Gibney and Josie Gibney, children of Lauren and Derek Gibney; Esther Berner and Matthew Berner, children of Jordan and Caleb Berner; and Ben Donaldson and Lucas Donaldson, children of Kaele and Caleb Donaldson.
Wayne met the love of his life, Mildred, through the Baptist Student Union at the University of Missouri. Both were elected BSU summer missionaries-Wayne to the Panama Canal and Mildred to Oklahoma-before marrying on May 29, 1959, at Memorial Baptist Church in Columbia, Missouri.
A U.S. Coast Guard lieutenant, Wayne later earned a Master's in Religious Education and Administration and a Doctorate in Educational Administration from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. He served as Minister of Education in churches across Missouri and Texas before joining what is now Lifeway Christian Resources (formerly the Baptist Sunday School Board) in Nashville, Tennessee, where he became the first editor of Adult Leadership Magazine. In 1978, Wayne and Mildred moved to Fayetteville, Arkansas, where he became Pastor of Education at University Baptist Church.
After stepping away from the church staff in 1982, Wayne and his wife Mildred remained active members of the University Baptist family, continuing to serve, teach, and mentor others in countless ways. A lifelong entrepreneur, he launched several ventures over the years-most involving signage, graphics, and visual communication-using his creativity to equip ministries and encourage effective teaching. In every season of life, his passion for sharing God's truth never wavered. He continued writing, teaching, and developing materials to help others grow in faith. In his final weeks, he was still producing resources centered on what he believed the Lord had most impressed upon his heart - that the greatest calling of a believer is to love one another.
This conviction became the cornerstone of his later ministry. Wayne believed that the commands of Jesus were not suggestions but the true measure of faith - and that love for one another was the clearest evidence of a life transformed by Christ. He longed to see the Church shaped by that love - communities of believers living out the unity, humility, and care that Jesus prayed for among His followers.
Wayne was known for his gentle humor, steady wisdom, and quiet strength - a constant source of encouragement to those around him. His mind was rarely still, always turning over ideas, inventions, or creative ways to help others. Whether sketching teaching tools, crafting church signs, or refining a Sunday School plan, he brought both precision and imagination to his work. He loved sports, especially baseball and football, and could always be counted on to cheer for the Razorbacks and Chiefs. His humor and love of wordplay enlivened any room - often turning an ordinary conversation into laughter. Among his greatest joys was time spent with his grandchildren, sharing stories, laughter, and rides on the lawnmower in wide, looping "donuts" across the yard. His creativity, curiosity, and devotion to both Mildred and the Lord were the steady hallmarks of a full and faithful life.
His life reflected his favorite Scripture, Psalm 71:17–18:
"O God, Thou hast taught me from my youth, and I still declare Thy wondrous deeds. Even when I am old and gray, do not forsake me, until I declare Thy strength to this generation."
Join us in celebrating his life at University Baptist Church, Fayetteville, Arkansas on November 13, 2025 at 2:00pm.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to Lightbearers Ministries International on their website lightbearers.com