M. Wayne Cornford

M. Wayne Cornford, 80, of Pardeeville, passed away July 12, 2019 at the Columbia Healthcare Center where he had resided for almost two years.

Wayne was born September 13, 1938 in Columbia County to Merwin and Imo (Miller) Cornford. Wayne was instilled with a very hard work ethic that served him well. He was employed for 40 years at the Columbia Highway Department where he held the positions of patrolman and later assistant commissioner. After a few “unhappy” months in retirement, Wayne was hired by Dan Drew at H. G. Meigs where he spent several years at a job he loved. Wayne loved sports, playing on neighborhood softball and basketball teams as a young adult and watched those sporting events when he couldn’t play them. Years later thanks to his friend Pete McCormick, he was able to participate in curling and the game of golf that he so loved. He was a loving family man. Wayne and his first wife Diana were blessed with three sons. He was united in marriage to Linda Kiefer in 1970 and together they were blessed with a daughter. 

Survivors include his wife Linda; son Tom Cornford (friend Terri Steele); granddaughter Ashley Cornford, Ashley’s mother Sheila Talley; step-grandchildren Jeremy (Tess) Baszynski and their children, Jennifer Kreier, and Bud (Miranda) Kreier and their children; sister Vicki (Dale) Tonn; nephew Keith Tonn; niece Kathleen (Mike) Thom, great niece Felecia (Ken) Kiefer, and sister-in-law Carolyn Lund. He was preceded in death by his parents; sons Theodore and Timothy; daughter Tamera; daughter-in-law Sue Cornford, and brother-in-law Marvin Lund.

Funeral services will be held Thursday, July 18 at 11 AM at St. John Lutheran Church in Pardeeville with Rev. William Runke officiating. Interment will follow at Cambria Cemetery. Visitation will be held Wednesday, July 17 from 4 to 7 PM at Grasse Funeral Home, 119 Industrial Drive, Pardeeville and again from 10 AM until the time of services at the church Thursday. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to St. John Lutheran Church in Pardeeville or Baraboo Area Parkinson’s Support Group. The family would like to extend a special thank you to the staff of CHCC for their understanding and compassionate care of Wayne. 

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