Wayne Thomas Lenoir, 75, of Hattiesburg, MS passed away on the evening of Sunday, October 27, 2024 at Alden Pointe assisted living facility surrounded by and holding hands with his family.

Visitation will be held at Moore Funeral Home in Hattiesburg on Friday, November 1, 2024 from 1-3 pm with services immediately following at 3pm. Interment will follow services at Highland Cemetery in Hattiesburg.

Wayne was born on May 8, 1949, and was a lifelong resident of Hattiesburg. He was preceded in death by his parents George Edward and Dorothy Denson Lenoir and his only sibling, Cynthia Lenoir Bryant.

He is survived by his loving and devoted wife of 34 years, Susan Chiasson Lenoir, formerly of Morse, Louisiana; Daughters - Amy Lenoir Barlow (Chris) of Garner, NC; Melissa Lenoir Upton (Christopher) of Gulfport, MS; Sarah Patterson Cannon (Stewart) of Brookhaven, MS; Sons - Scott Patterson (Stephanie) of Hattiesburg, MS and Craig Patterson (Sheena) of Glenwood Springs, CO.

He is also survived by 11 grandchildren - Micah Barlow (Kathleen) of Fayetteville, NC; Hayden Barlow Breazeale (Peter) of Durham, NC; Abigail Barlow of Wilmington, NC; Declan & Harper Upton of Gulfport, MS; Benji & Dylan Cannon of Brookhaven, MS; Joseph Patterson of Brookhaven, MS & Grace Patterson of Hattiesburg, MS; August & Rosalee Patterson of Glenwood Springs, CO.

Wayne's journey began at just 11 years old with a paper route for the Hattiesburg American Newspaper, alongside his deep commitment to Immanuel Baptist Church throughout his school years. After graduating from Hattiesburg High in 1967, he pursued a double major in Sociology and Biblical Studies at William Carey College, graduating in 1971. Although he initially intended to further his education in pastoral studies, his path shifted when he joined Moore Funeral Home.

Wayne’s experience there led him to Commonwealth Institute of Funeral Service in Houston, TX, where he earned his certification in funeral directing and embalming in 1975. He later returned to the Institute to teach for a year, sharing his expertise with aspiring funeral professionals. For over 30 years, Wayne served as an embalmer and funeral director at Moore Funeral Home, where his dedication, empathy, and professionalism brought immense comfort to grieving families.

In the late 90s, Wayne transitioned from the funeral business to start his own professional lawn care company, S&W Lawn Care, which he successfully ran for the next 20 years. This new venture allowed him to apply his strong work ethic and dedication in a different way.

Throughout all his endeavors, Wayne continued to find profound joy and purpose in his work in the funeral business. Eventually, he returned to the funeral industry part-time at Saulters-Moore Funeral Home in Prentiss, MS. He maintained his embalming certification until just a few years ago, when health issues related to Alzheimer’s began to affect his quality of life. Even as his memory began to fail him, Wayne continued to reminisce, and talked often about his role as a funeral director.

Wayne was a true workaholic—an incredibly hard and dedicated worker who took pride in providing for his family. In his free time, he cherished warm afternoons riding his Harley Davidson motorcycle, working in his own yard with his wife, or tinkering in his garage. His artistic talents shone through in his cross stitch and woodworking projects and he also enjoyed puzzles, whether working on jigsaw puzzles or playing games on his iPad.

A member of Heritage Methodist Church in Hattiesburg, Wayne was also active in the community as a former member of the Oak Grove Lions Club, Elks Club, and Jaycees. His diverse interests and commitment to both family and community defined a life well-lived.

We would like to extend our sincerest thanks to the staff at Alden Pointe Assisted Living Facility and the team from St. Luke's Hospice for their exceptional care and the heartfelt compassion they provided to Wayne in the last few months of his life. Wayne will be deeply missed by all who knew and loved him, but we find comfort in knowing that he is now wholly healed in mind, body, and spirit.