Roll Call Tribute

Wayne Mendenhall

January 26, 1961 – April 2, 2020

Wayne was born at Hill Air Force Base near Salt Lake City, Utah to Jay and Eleanor Mendenhall and was the 3rdof 5 children. He graduated from Lake Highlands High School class of 1979 where he was an athlete and scholar. He always set the highest of standards for himself and soon his siblings and even friends were following his high personal, moral and academic goals. Wayne was ready to let the world know he was here, and boy did he ever!

He graduated from Texas A&M, class of 1983, with a degree in Electrical Engineering. He started working at Mostek. During his postgraduate years he expanded his love of hunting, (especially duck hunting), fishing, water skiing and diving. He also earned his pilot's license and flew to Oshkosh during their annual show. Somehow during all of this, he earned an MBA from the University of Dallas.

After Mostek Wayne joined Dallas Semiconductor, then Maxim Integrated, and eventually moved to Qorvo. He served on the Board of Directors for Valwood Park Federal Credit Union as well as Hillcrest Academy in Dallas. All the while, Wayne made great friends from all over the world and influenced generations of engineers. While on a business trip to Malaysia, a young local boy was caught in a rip tide and was washed out to sea. Wayne swam to the boy, rescued him and then performed CPR. The family of the boy remained in contact with Wayne so that he would know the life he saved was being lived out and was well cherished.

Family meant everything to Wayne. He was most proud of his two sons, Jay and Sam. He would light up when talking about Jay and Sam’s adventures, whether it was track, football, baseball, or their academic achievements. Wayne’s love for his boys had no boundaries and his favorite times always included Jay and Sam and their trips to Europe, national parks, offshore fishing or even just the hunting lease.

Wayne was also always there for his mother, his siblings and their spouses and his many nephews, and nieces. Somehow he always had time to help anyone in need, including volunteering his summers at Camp Esperanza, a camp for children with cancer. He considered many of his friends as family and they often referred to Wayne as brother.

Later in life Wayne met Juli Rombuck who is an amazing woman whom he loved dearly.

Juli, Jay, and Sam loved, cared, and supported Wayne until he passed away and he was joined with Christ and his father Jay in heaven.

Wayne was preceded in death by his father Jay Anderson Mendenhall. He is survived by his sons, Jay Mendenhall and Sam Mendenhall; Juli Rombuck; mother, Eleanor Mendenhall of Dallas, TX; sister, Judy Garner (Kenneth) of Richardson, TX; brothers, Roger Mendenhall (Leslie) of Dallas, TX; Scott Mendenhall (Linda) of Richardson TX; and Brian Mendenhall (Kimberly) of Longview TX. Wayne is survived by numerous nephews and nieces who will all miss his huge smile, energy, enthusiasm, and zest for life.

A viewing will be held at Restland Funeral Home and Memorial Park in Dallas, TX on Tuesday, April 7th, 2020 from 2:15 PM - 5:00 PM. The family has set up a signup sheet for the viewing as only ten people can be in the funeral home at any given time. Current laws do not allow for congregating outside of the building.

A graveside funeral will be held for the immediate family and a Celebration of Life will occur at a future date.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society (https://donate.lls.org/lls/donate) or St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital (https://www.stjude.org/donate/donate-to-st-jude.html).