Barbara M. "Bobbi" Wayne

Wayne, Barbara "Bobbi" M.
NISKAYUNA - Barbara (Bobbi) M. Wayne, 86, passed away peacefully at home on October 6, 2025, surrounded by her loving family. Born in Albany, she was the daughter of the late Samuel and Fay Wolfe.
Bobbi was an incredible artist whose creativity knew no bounds. She embraced various mediums, including acrylics, watercolors, jewelry, ceramics, and metalwork. In her later years, she found joy in photography, collages, scrapbooking and her incredible floral gardens. Her watercolor paintings graced the covers of magazines, and she proudly showcased her talent in exhibitions in Brooklyn, Westchester, Albany, Saratoga and Schenectady.
Always an avid reader and history buff, Bobbi was never without a book and a four-legged furry friend by her side. On any given day, she was breezing through historical non-fiction in between tending to her "garden," her grandchildren, her art projects, her flower garden and pets. She and her husband enjoyed traveling to Florida in the winter, visiting family and friends along the way and of course, time together on the beach.
An ardent lover of musical theater, Bobbi cherished the opportunity to attend performances at Proctors Theatre as a supporting member, where she found inspiration and joy in the art of storytelling through music and drama. She shared this love for art and community as an art teacher, attending exhibitions with family and friends, and always ending the night at Proctors, especially if it meant extra time with her beloved grandchildren.
Her academic journey began at Bethlehem Central High School, from which she graduated in 1956. She furthered her education at Syracuse University, earning a degree in Art and Education in 1960 and becoming a member of the Alpha Epsilon Phi Sorority. As a varsity cheerleader, she embodied the spirit and energy of her school. Bobbi continued to hone her artistic skills through graduate studies in Fine Art at Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, where she studied with Robert Rauschenberg, one of the great artists of the 20th century.
Bobbi's professional journey was equally impressive. She worked as an art teacher and served as the Art Director for Of Westchester Magazine which later became County Life. Her freelance work as a commercial artist in the apparel industry showcased her versatility and talent. Bobbi also held positions as a gallery assistant at the Center Gallery in Albany and as an executive assistant at Golub Corporation. Most notably, she was the founder, partner, and chief designer at Wayne & Warsh Design, where her artistic vision thrived in her beautiful jewelry.
She loved being a wife, daughter, sister, mother, and tending to her grandchildren like her garden. Her family, their health and their happiness meant everything to her, she documented this in her paintings, her photography and the many, many albums and framed pictures one could find displayed around the house.
Bobbi is survived by her daughters, Dana Schaefer, Jacqueline Reifler, and Samantha (Michael) Nestor; her grandchildren, Melissa Schaefer, Michelle (Mike) Sapochetti, Nicole (Will) Searle, Emma, Leah, Sam, and Rence Jewett, Finn and Gavin Nestor; her sister, Debbie (Sadia)
Tanami; as well as cousins, nieces, and nephews. She was predeceased by her parents, Samuel and Fay Wolfe; her sister, Carole (Wolfe) Korngold; and her beloved husband, Lawrence Wayne. Our family thanks those compassionate people who cared for Bobbi in her later years with immense kindness.
Those wishing to remember Bobbi in a special way can make memorial contributions in her name to the Sierra Club, Planned Parenthood or EMILYs List.
A Memorial service for Bobbi will be held on Sunday, November 23, at 11 a.m., at The Levine Memorial Chapel, 649 Washington Ave., Albany N.Y.