George Wayne Whitmire

George Wayne Whitmire, 68, a resident of Prairie Grove, Ark., passed away Oct. 5, 2014, at Washington Regional Medical Center in Fayetteville. He was born Aug. 17, 1946, in Orlando, Fla., the son of George N. and Donnie Lou Beeks Whitmire. Wayne attended Prairie Grove Schools until the family moved to California. In 1963, he joined the United States Marines; he served in Vietnam as a helicopter mechanic and was awarded several medals. He later moved to Salt Lake City where he worked as an auto mechanic for Ford and Chrysler-Jeep dealerships. His hobbies included riding the sand dunes, camping, water skiing, flying model airplanes and shooting clay targets. He moved back to Arkansas where he worked for Sam's in the automotive department. In 2003, he went to work for the Prairie Grove School where he worked until his heart attack on Sept. 6. He enjoyed working for the school and with all his co-workers. He loved the kids and wanted to help them anyway he could. He was preceded in death by his parents; his stepfather, Donald Reynolds; his maternal grandparents, Mr. and Mrs Hugh Beeks; and fraternal grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. Luther Whitmire. Survivors include his stepbrother, Terry Reynolds and wife, Dawn, of Florissant, Mo.; stepsister, Mandy Schendell and husband, Rick, of Eaton, Pa.; aunt and uncle, Betty and Larry Bell of Prairie Grove. As per his wishes, there will be no services held. He will be laid to rest beside his mother in Prairie Grove Cemetery. Arrangements are under the direction of the Luginbuel Funeral Home of Prairie Grove, Ark. Online guest book, www.luginbuel.com.