Wayne Herman Luoma

Wayne H. Luoma Sr., 82, of Burton Township, passed away Jan. 18, 2010, at UHHS Geauga Medical Center in Claridon Township, surrounded by his loving family.Born Nov. 28, 1927, in Burton, he had been a lifelong Burton Township resident.Mr. Luoma had worked as a maintenance supervisor at Burton Rubber for 23 years, retiring in 1986. After his retirement, Mr. Luoma was well known as a beloved Amish taxi driver in the Geauga County area.Mr. Luoma served in the Merchant Marines. He then served in the U.S. Army during World War II in Italy and also served during the Korean War. Wayne was an avid horseshoe pitcher and was inducted into the Ohio Horseshoe Hall of Fame. He pitched numerous times in the World Horseshoe Tournament throughout the United States. His basement is full of trophies from many regional tournaments. The prized horseshoe courts at the Geauga County Fairgrounds bear his name.He also enjoyed being a pilot, owning his own plane, playing baseball, coaching, spending time with his family and socializing at the Geauga County Senior Center. Throughout his life, Wayne demonstrated a deep commitment to bettering his community, which earned him Burton’s Man of the Year Award. He showed the same loyalty to his family and will be remembered as a devoted husband, father, grandfather, brother, uncle and friend.The family wishes to extend special thanks to the staff of the Geauga Senior Center, where he enjoyed many hours and formed many new friendships.Survivors are his wife of 60 years, Coralyn (Sawyer) Luoma of Burton Township, whom he married July 9,1949, in Claridon Township; daughter, Marie (Dennis) Wilmot of East Claridon; sons, Wayne (Georgia) Luoma Jr. of Burton Township, Larry (Amanda) Luoma of Jonesborough, Tenn., and Glenn Luoma of Chardon; 12 grandchildren; five great-grandchildren; brothers, Kit (Evie) Luoma of Burton and Ed Luoma of Middlefield; sister, Anna Hollo of Burton, Township; and many loving family members and friends.He was preceded in death by his parents, Solomon and Evelina (Hilla) Luoma; and brothers, William, Emil, Gus and Martin Luoma.Richard Smallwood of the Chardon Congregation of Jehovah’s Witnesses will officiate. Burial will be in Welton Cemetery in Burton.