Graveside services will be held for Wayne Goucher, 87, of Clinton at 10 a.m. Wednesday at Clinton Cemetery.

Wayne Ellis Goucher was the eighth child of Ben and Hortense (Hackler) Goucher, born on April 3, 1933. He passed from this life at Baptist Hospital, Oklahoma City on May 15, 2020, at the age of 87 years, 43 days. At the time of his birth, his parents were living on North 2nd Street in Clinton, OK and this was where Wayne was born.

Wayne attended Washington Elementary School and graduated from Clinton High School in 1953. An excellent athlete, he lettered in Track, Basketball, Football and Basketball. He played American Legion Basketball and the summer before he graduated, he played with the Oklahoma Natural Gasers and traveled as far as Grand Rapids, Michigan to play in a baseball tournament. During his senior year of high school, Wayne signed with the Cincinatti Red Legs professional baseball organization and went to spring training in Douglas, Georgia, in the spring of 1954. Wayne returned home and joined his father and brothers in their business, Goucher Masonry.

On February 10, 1954, Wayne married his high school sweetheart Glendene Smith. They made their home in Clinton and Wayne continued with his lifetime career as a bricklayer. Goucher Masonry was known statewide for the quality of their masonry work, including such structures as the Church in Norman, public schools in Clinton, Duke & Amber Pocasset, the First Baptist Church, the First United Methodist Church, and the Broadway Heights Baptist Church, all in Clinton, Oklahoma. They also bricked the Clinton Tornado Dome and many other edifices and homes throughout western Oklahoma.

In November 1954, Wayne and Glendene welcomed their first child, Mark Wayne, and in 1956 their daughter Taunia was born.

Wayne and Glendene made their home in Clinton their entire married life except for a short period of time when they moved to Chickasha, Oklahoma, where Wayne worked on the masonry of the Home Economics Building of the Oklahoma College for Women. Returning to Clinton in 1957, Wayne and Glendene purchased their home at 605 S. 5th, where they have resided to this date.

Wayne left the family business for a period of about a year to work for the City of Clinton, overseeing the landscaping of the new Clinton Regional Hospital, the construction of new tennis courts in conjunction with Clinton High School, and Engleman Park. Wayne returned to masonry contracting on his own with son Mark joining him, the business then known as Goucher and Son. Taunia also worked for her dad in his masonry business during college breaks.

Wayne was an active leader and supporter of Clinton Boy Scout Troop 361.

Wayne played golf and enjoyed many years playing with good friends and got Glendene involved in golf and they enjoyed playing in the Couples Scrambles at Clinton’s Riverside Golf Course.

In 1993, Wayne and Glendene bought their first fifth-wheel and started their adventures in RVing. Before retirement, they always spent the month of August in Ruidoso, N.M. Retiring in 1998, Wayne and Glendene purchased a new fifth-wheel and spent the next fifteen summers in Ruidoso, N.M., and winters in Kerrville, Texas, making many lifelong friends. In 2013 their tow pickup was totaled while setting in their own driveway, so instead of replacing it they made the decision it was probably time to quit RVing and sold their fifth-wheel.

Wayne loved to watch things grow and when his dad was alive helped him in his huge garden. Wayne was most proud of his pecan tree in his own yard and enjoyed gathering pecans each year, shelling many sacks of tasty pecans, and sharing them with family and friends.

Wayne loved watching his grandkids grow up and become parents of their own children. He was blessed with ten loving grandchildren and thirty great-grandchildren.

Wayne is survived by his wife Glendene of the home; son Mark and wife Virginia of Clinton; daughter Taunia Bozarth and husband Rick of Seiling; grandchildren, Amber Goucher Fletcher, Todd Goucher, Ernesto Nabor, Dora Goucher Miller, Eric Goucher, Esther Goucher Switzer, Louie Goucher, Christine Goucher, Josh Bozarth, Taft Bozarth and Claus William Pries-Reinhold; and 30 greatgrandchildren. Wayne is also survived by his sisterin-law Marcia Burrows and her husband Phil; his brother-in-law Jake Beauchamp (Gayle), his sisterin-law Margaret Goucher (Bill) and a host of nieces, nephews and friends.

Wayne was preceded in death by his parents and he was the last surviving member of his immediate family. His brothers, Lawrence, Bill, Kenneth and Forrest, as well as sisters Elsie Balentine, Fern Brewer and Viola Stout, predeceasing him.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Clinton Public School Foundation or your favorite charity.