Wayne Allan Scheurer

Wayne Allan Scheurer of Richmond Hill, Georgia passed away unexpectedly on July 20th, 2026, at the age of 61. Born on August 29th, 1964, in Bismarck, ND, Wayne lived a full life marked by dedication to his family, his country and his numerous passions.

Wayne served in the military for twenty years in highly prestigious units including the 1/75 Ranger Battalion at Hunter Army Airfield and the elite Special Operations Command Unit at Fort Bragg. He was HALO certified and was immensely proud to have served in Operation Just Cause in Panama, and in both Operation Desert Storm and Iraqi Freedom in the Middle East. He retired at the rank of Sergeant Major, the highest enlisted rank. He also received many awards and medals, too many to count, including The Legion of Merit, The Bronze Star and one of the most prestigious honors a non-commissioned officer can receive; the Sergeant Audie Murphy Award, awarded to only one to two percent of all enlisted leaders. He had the most incredible work ethic of anyone you could ever meet, and he continued his career after retirement from the army in 2004 working for Avon Protection and DWE as a government contractor whose expertise and vast knowledge of chemical and biological agents in both civilian and military applications allowed him to continue the successful career he began in the Army.

Although Wayne was so proud of his service in the military, he was even more proud of the family he created with his wife, Elana. They met in September of 1987 and secretly eloped on March 28th, 1988. Many people who attended their July 29th wedding the following year still do not know about the elopement. They had three beautiful children, and they traveled together throughout the years to all fifty states and numerous countries. If Wayne did not put six thousand miles on a rental car during a trip, something went terribly wrong. He allowed his family to see the world and never complained about the long drives or lack of sleep.

Wayne’s other passions included hunting and training his best friend (dog) Jett for field trials. He spent many weeks hunting in remote locations in Alaska, and in more recent years took three hunting safari trips to South Africa and one to Newfoundland. He loved the outdoors, and spent as much time as he could at his remote property near Waycross, GA building the barn dominium of his dreams. Every bit of that property was designed and touched by him, and he looked forward to it being finished so he could share it with his family, especially his new grandson, Rhett. It is now a place we will all go to remember him and feel connected to his spirit.

Wayne is survived by his devoted wife, Elana Scheurer (Evans); his children Ashley {Cody} Scheurer Williams, Taylor Scheurer, and Allan Scheurer, and his grandson, Rhett Allan Williams, who, like his uncle, was proudly given Wayne’s middle name. He is also fondly remembered by his siblings Julie Murphy, Cindy Scheurer, Mike (Jill) Goertel, and his brother-in-law Glenn (Julie) Evans. He is preceded in death by his mother, Gladys Presler (Peterson) and Melvin Scheurer.

The void left by Wayne’s passing is indescribable. He was our rock, our protector, and our hero; the foundation that served as our support and strength. We can only honor him by moving forward, continuing his legacy of devotion to our family, and by living our lives to the fullest. We all pray we will see him again one day.

Due to an illness in the family, there will be no immediate service. Wayne will be brought home and will remain with Elana until they will both eventually be interred together at Arlington National Cemetery. A Celebration of Life will be held on a later date in Richmond Hill, Georgia.