Obituaries

January 2, 1916 to January 1, 2011

KOKOMO - Wayne Elbert Agnew, 94, Kokomo, died at 1:05 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 1, in the emergency room at St. Joseph Hospital, Kokomo.

He was born Jan. 2, 1916, in Winamac, the son of Robert and Bessie (Zellers) Agnew. He married Helen Straley on May 6, 1949, and she survives.

Also surviving are four children, David Agnew, Kokomo, Gary Agnew and his wife, Pat, Noblesville, Myrna Fields and her husband, Richard, Spencer, and Connie Schneck and her husband, Gary, West Lafayette; 10 grandchildren, Jason Hinkle and his wife, Ling, Susan Braswell and her husband, Chris, Lindsey Baugh and her husband, Joe, Matthew McNulty, Michael Agnew, Gary N. Schneck and his fiance, Christina Weintraut, Darci Schneck and her fiance, Chad Steiner, Kelly Agnew, and Mason Riley Fields and Ethan Fields; seven great-grandchildren, Clara and Jillian Braswell, Lillian Baugh, and Kassidy and Adallee Omran; Audrey Steiner and Dean Schneck; and one sister, Lois Sights of South Bend.

He was preceded in death by his parents; a grandson, Samuel Parker Fields; and two brothers, Richard Agnew and John Agnew.

Mr. Agnew grew up in Frankfort and graduated from Frankfort High School. He went to work right out of high school to support his mother and family. He worked at the Frankfort Times where he ran a small printing press and worked with the binder. He later worked in the print shop at the Edgewater Beach Hotel in Chicago, where he printed menus, announcements and news. Later employment included the Grunow Co. in Marion, where he did alignment and radio reject repairs. He attended electronic schooling and had an engineering career at Delco Radio for 42 years. Delco appointed him senior project engineer, and he maintained this position until retirement in 1980. He was a member of the Kokomo Engineering Society.

Mr. Agnew enjoyed his experiences as a HAM Radio Operator, becoming licensed at the age of 16, and was known with the call letters W9LOF. He was a member of the Howard County Ham Radio Club and the American Radio Relay League. He served in the U.S. Navy during World War II and achieved the rank of ETM 2nd Class. He was an active member of First Christian Church, serving as an elder and elder emeritus. He had also been active in the Masonic Lodge in earlier years. He loved to travel and favorite destinations included Australia, Ireland and Russia.

The family will receive friends from 4 to 7 p.m., Wednesday, at the church. The funeral will follow at 7 p.m., (Wednesday, Jan. 5) at First Christian Church, 854 N. Malfalfa Road, Kokomo, with Pastor Will Jewsbury officiating. A reception will be held following the service at Fellowship Hall. A committal service is 11 a.m. Thursday in the Chapel of Love at Sunset Memory Gardens Cemetery with military rites provided by the U.S. Navy and the Howard County Military Rites Team.

Memorial donations may be made to First Christian Church. Shirley and Stout Funeral Homes assisted the family with arrangements.