Wayne Larson, a retired missionary to Swaziland and Papua New Guinea, passed away May 29 at age 83.

Wayne was born to Alfred and Lulu Larson November 9, 1932, in Portland, Oregon, and raised with his younger brother, Bruce. He married Joann in 1954, and the couple raised their three children in Medford, Oregon. In 1965, they traveled to Swaziland, Africa, where they felt called to become full-time missionaries with the Church of the Nazarene. They returned to Swaziland as a family in 1969.

Ten years later they were transferred to Kudjip, Papua New Guinea, where they served in various roles, including Wayne as Kudjip Nazarene Hospital administrator, until they retired from missionary work in 1990. They moved to Nampa, Idaho, in 1997 to work as postmasters at Northwest Nazarene University until they officially retired.

Wayne was preceded in death by his wife of 58 years, Joann, as well as his parents. He is survived by his children, Don (Darla) of Nampa, Diane (Jeff Poseley) of Nampa, and Rob (Lynn) of Evans, Colorado; his brother, Bruce, as well as numerous grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. June 3 at Nampa First Church of the Nazarene.

The family has established a memorial fund to provide a scholarship for Wayne Larson Piyu to attend Northwest Nazarene University in the future. Piyu, the son of Wayne's former colleague in Papua New Guinea, was named after Wayne. Donations can be made to the Wayne Larson Piyu Scholarship Fund, c/o Diane Poseley, 3310 S Stanford, Nampa, ID 83686.

--Church of the Nazarene Asia-Pacific Region