Wayne R. Brett of Warwick passed away on Thursday, Nov. 7, 2019, in Florida while scuba diving, an activity he loved. He was 69.
Wayne was born Jan. 3, 1950, in Newark, N.J., the son of Morton and Alma Brett. He spent his childhood in New Jersey. While he was a teenager, he and his family moved to Nebraska. In 1968, he returned to New Jersey, where he graduated from Livingston High School. He then attended the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga.
In 1969, when he was 19, the world was Wayne’s oyster. He attended Woodstock, a highlight of his life, and then set off on a cross-country journey with a high-school friend. Wayne often recalled the adventures he had and the landscapes he encountered on this trip of a lifetime.
In 1975, Wayne and Erika Lubar were married. They lived for several years in New Jersey before settling into their family home in Warwick.
Wayne had a long career in the supermarket industry, where he was a well-respected seafood buyer. In his work, he traveled the world, certifying international fishing companies for export. To say Wayne loved seafood, would be an understatement. He was a keen fisherman who loved his time alone fishing on the Beaverkill.
In addition to his family, Wayne’s passions throughout his life included diving. He had completed more than 2,500 dive hours and was master certified. Diving on the Great Barrier Reef was one of his most memorable dives.
For most of their lives, Wayne and Erika had a houseful of dogs, which he doted upon, until this gradually gave way to a menagerie of cats, equally loved. Wayne was a proud gardener, with a green thumb. He continually amazed his family and friends with his top- shelf produce.
He enjoyed cooking and baking. His reputation for sinful cookies earned him the nickname "Mr. Keebler."
Wayne adored spending time with his 3-year-old granddaughter, Sylvie, and was thrilled to welcome his grandson, Rowan, into the family in October.
He is survived by his wife and best friend of 44 years, Erika; their two children, Chase and Hallie; his daughter-in-law, Emily; his son-in-law, Mike; two grandchildren, Sylvie and Rowan; his mother, Alma; and his three siblings, Doug, Julie and Neil.
A private life celebration for Wayne was held Nov. 17 in Warwick.
Memorial donations may be made to the 4 Oceans, 4ocean.com, a group that supports the cleaning of oceans and coastlines.