Wayne Hutchison
Wayne Curtis Hutchison, a cherished husband and father, passed away on July 12, 2024 in Austin, Texas. Born on August 8, 1939 in Nashville, Tennessee, Wayne had a great and fulfilling life. He was 84.
Wayne was a pillar of love and support to his family. He was preceded in death by his grandparents James and Florence Hutchison and mother Valeria Hutchison. He is survived by his wife of thirty-nine years Abigail Hutchison; son J. Stuart Hutchison and wife Ann (Austin, Texas); children from his first marriage Karen Rodriguez and her husband Emilio (Duncanville, Texas), Angela Hutchison (Fort Worth, Texas), Jeffrey Hutchison and his wife Lisa (Hurst, Texas), and Matthew Hutchison and his wife Tabitha (Hurst, Texas); six grandchildren (Elizabeth, Sydney, Cade, Bethany, Dylan, Bryce); and two great-grandchildren (Mateo, Lillian).
A talented athlete, Wayne played basketball at Chattanooga Central High where he competed for the state championship and earned a full scholarship to University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. Later in life, Wayne continued to do well at sports from recreational bowling to basketball in the front yard. He was most passionate about the Texas Rangers baseball team and attended many games over the years. One of his favorite travels was also baseball related, taking a trip in the summer across six states and seeing six games in four different ballparks.
Growing up in Tennessee, Wayne never strayed from his country music roots. He could tell a multitude of stories about music heard at the Ryman Auditorium or the Grand Ole Opry. Wayne never forgot the words to many of these classic songs and his singing along would never fail to bring a smile to your face.
For twenty-five years, Wayne worked at Ferro Corporation. He began in Nashville, later moving to Little Rock, Arkansas and then Arlington, Texas. Starting out as a salesman, by the end of his tenure he had worked up to multi-state plant management. In 1985, Wayne moved and founded his own company Welborne-Hutchison Company in Buda, Texas. Here, he sold marble, resin, gelcoat and other raw materials and warehouse supplies to aid in the construction of homes. Throughout his whole life, Wayne was renowned for his kindness and generosity but particularly during these years. Not only did he succeed at this business venture of his own but he helped many others in the industry set up marble shops in the area where they also found great success. Wayne’s willingness to help others left a lasting impression on everyone he met.
A rich source of great memories were Wayne’s travels both throughout the US and Europe. You could name almost any city in Texas and Wayne knew it. He particularly enjoyed trips to Hawaii, San Francisco, Las Vegas, Arizona (the Grand Canyon), Ireland, London, Nice with its Promenade des Anglais, and eastern Europe (Czechia, Slovakia, and Hungary). During most of these trips, Wayne would be with his trusty camera. He took a particularly great photo (“postcard worthy”) of the Arc de Triomphe while standing in the middle of the Champs-Élysées in Paris. Once digital cameras became more common, he took even more pictures and enjoyed going through them on his computer back home.
When at home, Wayne had many hobbies he also enjoyed. He loved to take things apart and put them back together to learn how stuff worked. Some might say he liked taking things apart more than putting them back together. This handyman knowledge, though, enabled Wayne to fix most anything. He built two toolsheds in the backyard, the early family computers, and installed a home surround sound for watching movies all back before you could easily look up guides on the Internet. Wayne always enjoyed cars and would frequently go to car shows to see the new models, particularly the Corvette. At home, he drove a Ford truck that he had won in a contest.
It was impossible to have met Wayne (no matter how briefly) and not to have had a smile at some point during the conversation. His fun sense of humor is already missed. Whether it be a silly rhyme or a turn of phrase, he was always quick-witted. As we celebrate his life, let us remember these times of laughter and the joy we felt when we were with Wayne.
In honor of Wayne’s life and the impact he made, his family wishes to express their profound gratitude for the love and support they have received during this difficult time.
A public visitation will be conducted at Harrell Funeral Home in Kyle on Wednesday, July 17, 2024, from 5:00 – 8:00 p.m., with funeral service at 10:00 a.m. on Thursday, July 18, 2024. Harrell Funeral Home of Kyle, 1715 Kirby, Kyle, TX 78640 is handling arrangements.
