Family and friends will miss Wayne’s beautiful smile, sparkling green eyes, easy-going manner and sense of humor that won him friends wherever he went. Wayne passed away at home in Pagosa Springs, Colo., on Aug. 3, 2024, due to complications from Alzheimer’s disease. He was born on Oct. 5, 1942, in Houston, Texas, to Beulah Jane Hill Kuehler and Louis Nicholas Kuehler. He was preceded in death by his mother and father, brother (Louis Nicholas Kuehler Jr.) and son (Charles Wayne Kuehler Jr., “Charlie”). Wayne’s remaining beloved family includes his wife, Annee Gisler Kuehler; daughter, Debbie L. Shaddox; grandchildren, Charles W. Kuehler III (Bubba), Christal Dawn Kuehler, Hayley Kerr Bush and Taylor Shaddox Rubins; and nine great-grandchildren.
As a young boy, his family briefly lived above a honky tonk bar that they owned in Pasadena, Texas, and Wayne learned to love classic country music. After graduating from La Porte High School, Wayne served in the National Guard for nine years. Wayne’s first marriage was to Mary Williams (Steinhauer) in 1963, and they had two children, Debbie and Charlie.
He met the love of his life, Annee, in 1991 on a ski trip to Steamboat Springs, Colo. They were together for 29 years and were married on March 13, 2004.
Wayne worked for Delta Airlines for 23 years, forming a group of lifelong friends. One of the highlights of his career with Delta occurred when he first joined Delta and was working the night shift. An elderly gentleman showed up and asked how he liked working for Delta. Wayne learned later that the gentleman was C. F. Woolman, the founder of Delta Airlines.
Wayne was a true outdoorsman and a natural athlete. He hunted and fished from an early age. He enjoyed saltwater wade fishing and, later, fly-fishing. He became an excellent tennis player and an avid skier. In retirement he took up golf, perfecting his game and becoming a marshal at the Pagosa Springs golf course.
Wayne and Annee discovered Pagosa Springs in 1991, eventually moving there to live and building their dream log home in the Blanco Basin. They could often be seen hiking with their beloved black Labrador retrievers. Wayne developed a close group of friends through golf and through his membership in the Knights of Columbus at the John Paul II Catholic Church.
A memorial Mass and internment will held on Aug. 31, 2024, at 11 a.m. at Pope John Paul II Catholic Community in Pagosa Springs. For Family and friends unable to attend, live streaming of the memorial Mass can be viewed online at: ihmjp2.org. Click on live stream.
In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the Humane Society of Pagosa Springs in Wayne’s honor.
