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David Lewis Wayman
David Lewis “Rusty” Wayman was born to Lewis and Ila Mae (Zellerhoff) Wayman July 27, 1942, in Colfax. His family moved to Clarkston, where he attended Holy Family Catholic School and Clarkston High School, graduating in 1960. Soon after graduation, he joined the U.S. Navy to see the world. He served on the USS Fort Knox, a destroyer, based in the Far East. After his tour of duty, he returned to the Lewiston-Clarkston Valley for more adventure. In the 1960s, he raced stock cars in North Lewiston. He also owned Valley Steel Construction, which was more profitable than racing stock cars. His steel buildings can be seen all over the valley and surrounding areas. Another adventure Rusty and some other partners undertook was gold mining in the Rocky Mountains. They never hit the mother lode so he didn’t give up his day job. Rusty learned to fly at the Lewiston airport and owned a small fixed-wing airplane at one time, but his real flying love was helicopters, which he turned into a second career. He and his helicopter sprayed weeds at Hanford, blew rain off cherry orchards in the Tri-Cities, dusted crops in the region and even dusted acres and acres of corn in Nebraska with his good friend, Morgan Lohman. Rusty was his own helicopter mechanic. He could repair and build anything. He built two helicopters in his shop, a red one that was a work of art. Rusty was very quiet and a man of few words, unless you asked him about his aircraft. Then he wouldn’t stop talking. Somewhere in all that work he found time to play a little golf. He was a better pilot than golfer. Rusty died Saturday, Oct. 9, 2021, at the age of 79. He is survived by two daughters, Charlee Wayman and Ronna Waller; son-in-law Pat Waller; granddaughter Shantell Fortney-Goodson; brother Dean Wayman; and sisters Ann Bershaw and Carol Baker.July 27, 1942 - October 9, 202107/27/194210/09/2021
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David Lewis Wayman
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