Wayne Robert Dolezal

Wayne Robert Dolezal shifted his vibrations to a higher frequency and departed this earthly life on Sunday, June 10, 2018, at his home in Grants. With regrets of the temporary separation from his loved ones left behind, he looks forward to being reunited with his loved ones who preceded him on this part of the journey.

Wayne was born on August 1, 1929, to Joseph Dolezal and Helen Burda Dolezal in Killdeer, North Dakota. He is survived by wife, Pauline Dolezal, son John Dolezal and wife Karen of Ridgecrest, California, daughters Ruthanne Shinn and husband Craig of Yukon, Oklahoma, and Marta Ortiz and husband Bob of Rio Rancho, step-son Elbert Blevins and wife Marsha of Bluewater, NM, grandsons Kenneth Shinn, Michael Johnson, Clayton, Daryl, and Chad Blevins; Johnny Wade, Stuart and Dusty Fjord, granddaughters Gwen Blevins Harmer, Marci Blevins Robinson, Christina Fjord Brown and Lyndse Fjord Bullard, 31 great grand-children, 2 great great grand-children, a few cousins, many nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents; first wife, Florence Elizabeth Adams/Lorton Dolezal; two daughters, Suzanne Elizabeth Dolezal and Sandra Jeanne Dolezal; a brother and sister-in-law, Howard Joseph and Angeline Ekle Dolezal; a brother and sister-in-law, Irwin Frank and Helen Dolezal; and sister and brother-in-law, Lorene Helen Dolezal and Earl McIlonie.

Wayne attended school in Killdeer, ND through the 12th grade. After school he worked in his father’s Machine and Blacksmith Shop. He entered into a partnership with his brother Howard, in 1948 after graduating from High School, operating the family business. After another very cold winter and looking at those greasy dirty hands, he said “this is not for me” and entered college the summer of 1949 at South Dakota School of Mines and graduated in 1953 with a B.S. in Mining Engineering. He had aspirations of getting a Masters Degree at the University of North Dakota but soon changed his mind as the weather got colder and left ND to work for Kerr-McGee Navajo Uranium Division on the Navajo Indian Reservation in Arizona in October 1953. Wayne was hired as a Mine Engineer with headquarters in Shiprock, NM.

He married Elizabeth Adams/Lorton, 28 May 1955. She passed away 28 January 1977.

1956 began his tenure in Grants, with Kerr-McGee, arriving in Grants, to live, in January of 1957. On December 16, 1959 he became Mine Planning Engineer and became a Sr. Production and Cost Engineer on October 1, 1961. On December 1, 1965 he was transferred to Bowman, ND as the Plant Superintendent of the Lignite Facility there. He returned to Grants, NM February 1967 as Chief Mining Engineer and traveled extensively with his work – even went to England looking at Mining Techniques and Equipment. He was transferred to Oklahoma City Corporate as User Coordinator of the computer systems for Nuclear in June 1979.

He married Pauline Rowley Blevins December 24, 1981. He retired from Kerr-McGee March 29, 1985 after 32 years with the company. He returned to Grants and ran for Mayor, and very fortunately lost that bid; he entered into Community Service – City Planning and Zoning, worked at the Mining Museum, served on the Hospital Board and also did some Consulting work. In June 1988 he went to work for SC&A, contracting work for the EPA Office of Radiation Programs in Montgomery, Alabama until 1993. In 1993 he went to work for Solv-ex Corporation in Albuquerque as Pilot Plant Superintendent until 1997, thus ending his working career leaving him time to concentrate on traveling with his wife while she did her duties as National President of WAAIME’s, (Women's Auxiliary American Institute Mining Engineers), State President of P.E.O. and her church duties.

During their 36 years of married life they have visited every State, including Hawaii, except for Alaska. That was in the planning stage when he got sick. They also traveled to Canada, Mexico City, the Bahamas’ and Jamaica.

For 18+ years, until health problems set in, he and his buddy, Tom Corcoran, did their usual tour of the city each morning, going to the post office, socializing at one of the local restaurants and then driving around town checking to see if all is well in town, picking up the USA today and Grants Beacon before coming home, working on cross word puzzles and being with his wife Pauline, enjoying life together.

Viewing and graveside services will be held on Friday, June 15, 2018 at Pioneer Memorial Park, Bluewater, NM. Viewing will be from 9:00 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. Services at 9:40 a.m. Interment will be in Pioneer Memorial Park, Bluewater, NM immediately after services.