CW4 Wayne Houston Weeks, Sr

Wayne Houston Weeks, Sr., born on a farm north of Samson, AL., on April 4, 1936, to a father that was a sharecropper. He passed away on Wednesday, March 19, 2024.

He was preceded in death by his parents, David Weeks and Ethel (Carter) Weeks of Samson, AL; wife of 56 years, Jeraldine Lenora (Price) Weeks; brother, LTC Retired Waylon and Judy Weeks of Hinesville, GA; sister, Peggy Jean (Weeks) Thames of Geneva, AL.

Wayne is survived by son, Wayne H Weeks, Jr. and wife Pat of Cocoa, FL; daughter, Jo Denise (Weeks) Bal and husband, Lionel Bal of San Antonio, TX; grandchildren, Adam Bal, wife Leslie Bal of Wylie, TX, Graham Weeks, and Kierstin Murariu, husband Matthew of Cocoa, FL.

He attended the same school for 12 years; received two letters in football and two letters in basketball. He went on to join the Alabama National Guard in the 11th grade.

In 1956, he met wife, Jeraldine, on a blind date, got married and entered the US Army. He was on active duty for 3 years, 2 months and 10 days, stationed in Bedford, MA, on a defense site.

After retiring from the Army, he went to work as a GS-12 pilot flying UH-1 Huey, King Air 90 and 200 in Augusta, GA. Wayne went to work for Textron, Inc, flying Citation 2 (CE550) and transitioned into CE 550 Jet. He was then offered a job as Chief Pilot for E Z-Go Golf Cart and Utility Company (CE550). He moved to Sterling, VA, flying out of Dallas International Airport as the Chief Pilot for Textron, Inc (CE 560 Jet).

Wayne re-enlisted in the Army in 1959; stationed in Barrington, IL, Arlington Heights, IL. He moved to Ft. Hood Texas; 2nd armored division and then moved to Germany, (Neckarsulm) Red Stone Missile BN. Wayne moved back to the U.S. to Ft. Sill, OK and was assigned to Viet Nam; (175 Gow BN)

In 1965, he re-enlisted for 6 more years and reassigned to Ft. Bragg, NC (Target Acquisition Bw). Wayne applied for and was accepted into Army Helicopter Pilot School and moved to Ft. Walters, Texas for primary helicopter school. He was assigned to Ft. Rucker, AL for completion of helicopter school and was assigned to “A” Co-25th AON BN 25th Inf. Division (Little Bears). At Ft. Rucker, he was a helicopter instructor pilot, assigned to Germany, D Troop 3/8 CAV, 8th In F Division as instructor pilot (Huey M22 missile systems on “M” model Huey). Wayne was assigned to Davison Army Airfield, Ft. Belvoir, VA, as instructor pilot (Huey) and Command Pilot for Chief of Staff, U.S. Army. While assigned to Ft. Rucker, AL, he attended Warrant Officer Course and then went to Troy University for completion of associates degree, bachelor’s degree and fixed wing transition course. He had a Huey refresher course, was assigned to Ramstein Air Force Base in Ramstein, Germany and flew classified missions in SEMA aircraft before he was reassigned to Davison Army Airfield, Ft. Belvoir, VA, flying Beach Craft King Air (90,100,200).

Wayne moved to Waterford, MI and flew CE 560 (Cessna) as Chief Pilot and transitioned into Citation CE650, then Citation 7 C Jet. He retired for the last time in April 2001 and moved to Diamondhead, MS. Wayne retired as a CW4 from the Army and had the highest security clearance; top secret (SI).Wayne retired from the Army in 1986 after 30 years, 1 month, and 21 days active duty; prior to active duty spent 2 years, 4 months in AL National Guard.

In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to Shriners Children’s Hospital. https://donate.lovetotherescue.org

Visitation will be on Thursday, March 20, 2025, from 6 - 8 pm at the Riemann Family Funeral Home, 11280 Three Rivers Rd, Gulfport, MS. The funeral service will be at 11 am, Friday, March 21, 2025, in the funeral home chapel. Interment will be in Biloxi National Cemetery.