Lyle Wayne Lightfoot
Suddenly, in his 82nd year, Lyle Wayne Lightfoot passed away at Norfolk General Hospital in Simcoe at dawn on Tuesday, January 19th. The second eldest son of a loving, tightknit family of four sons and one daughter, Wayne was born in St. Thomas, Ontario on October 9th, 1939. His family moved to Hamilton from Aylmer during the Second World War where he was raised and spent his early adulthood before the country life lured him back – first Hagersville where he and Judy had a small farm outside of town and later their acreage near Simcoe. His presence will be missed by his son Kevin (Shelly), daughters Kimberley (Gary) and Sheila (Mark), grandchildren Megan, Austin, Kaitlyn and Hunter, younger brothers Ron (Evelyn) and Craig (Wilhelmina) and sister, Crystal, a score of nieces and nephews as well as his dear companion and friend, Mary Thurgood. Wayne follows loved ones to his Lord’s embrace, including his wife of more than 35 years, Judith Ann (Judy), eldest brother John and mother Nora and father, Lyle. Wayne was known for his gentle touch around standardbred racehorses, both on and off the racetrack beginning at the fall fairs throughout southern Ontario and eventually leading to some of the sport’s top tiers, including a driver’s championship from the Woodstock Raceway in 1972. His intense competitive spirit emerged early on the baseball diamonds behind the family home at 1411 Upper James Street at Barton Park and later when he wore #77 for the Burlington Braves Football Club. His athleticism was briefly recognized by the Hamilton Tiger-Cats who invited him to their training camp. As his dark hair gracefully whitened over the years, he could still be found competing on ice sheets at the Simcoe Curling Club or the fairways at Lynn Meadows/Port Dover Golf and Country Club. Wayne initially pursued a career in the sheet metal trade but quickly joined the Hamilton Police Department and later the Burtch Correctional Facility where he served as a correctional officer for 25 years before retirement. During retirement, he was active in the Simcoe Gentlemen of Harmony Barbershop chorus when he wasn’t crafting toys for his grandchildren or household furniture in his woodshop. To know Wayne was to appreciate his deep devotion to his faith which he practiced daily and when he attended services at the Emmanuel Bible Church. Wayne lived independently until his final hour and enjoyed his own company but valued the precious time he spent with Mary; and he also could make a stranger feel at ease with kind words that were backed with a conviction of faith. Due to public health restrictions, family members will be celebrating his life at a private funeral at Hyde & Mott Chapel in Hagersville on January 28, 2021 with internment at the Hagersville Cemetery. www.rhbanderson.com
I Corinthians 2:9
“As it is written:
What no eye has seen,
what no ear has heard,
and what no human mind has conceived
the things God has prepared
for those who love him.”
Our most sincere sympathies to the family and friends of Wayne Lightfoot 2021..
Death notice for the town of: Hagersville, Province: Ontario