DANVERS: Wayne E. Day, 90, died Monday, January 21, 2008 in the Essex Park Rehabilitation and Nursing Center in Beverly following an extended illness. He was the husband of the late Elizabeth (Smith) Day who died in 2003.
Born in Hamilton on March 25, 1917, he was the son of the late Wallace H. and Bessie M. (Haywood) Day. Wayne spent his early days in Essex, where he was a graduate of Essex High School class of 1935.
Following graduation he began working at Essex Coal and Oil Company. In 1939 he married Elizabeth B. Smith and encouraged by his wife, took correspondence courses to learn the heating and air conditioning business. During World War II, he installed heating systems in the warships being built at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard. After the war, Wayne started his own business, Day’s Heating and Air Conditioning of Melrose, which serviced the North Shore and in 1953 he moved to Danvers, where he built a new home.
Wayne was an accomplished musician and played the bass fiddle with many bands in the North Shore area. He was a golf enthusiast and Past President of the Wenham Country Club. Wayne and Betty loved to travel and played golf on many courses. They were always surrounded by a large group of friends. Following Betty’s death in 2003, Wayne loved to spend his days at the Danvers Senior Center surrounded by friends. He was a member of The Tyrian-Acacia Lodge, A.F. & A.M. of Gloucester and the Spiran Lodge in Rockport.
He is survived by his loving companion, Janice O’Brien of Danvers and many nieces, nephews and great-nieces and great-nephews. In addition to his wife of sixty-four years, he was also predeceased by four sisters, Eleanore, Marjorie, Mildred and Dorothy.
His funeral services will be held on Saturday, February 9th in the Grondin Funeral Home, 376 Cabot Street, Beverly at 11 a.m. Visitation will be held prior to the service from 10 – 11 a.m. Relatives and friends are cordially invited to attend. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made in his memory to the Maple Street Congregational Church, 90 Maple St., Danvers, MA 01923 or to the W. Gloucester Trinitarian Congregational Church, 488 Essex Ave., Gloucester, MA 01930.