In Memory
Lyle Raymond Wamsley
Feb. 6, 1949 ~ May 22, 2024
Lyle R. Wamsley, age 75, passed away peacefully on May 22, 2024 in Tuscon, Arizona. Lyle was born February 6, 1949 in South Bend, Indiana. His mother, whom he loved very much, was Jean Dalca. He attended Kaley grade school, Muessel Jr. High School, Central and LaSalle High Schools and graduated from LaSalle in 1968.
Lyle was a natural leader and a great athlete with basketball being his best sport. He received several basketball scholarships after high school and briefly attended Western Michigan before serving in the United States Army from 1969 through 1971 as a business specialist Sergeant. He was deployed to Germany for over a year.
Lyle was fun, smart and a loyal friend to many people. He was a Deputy Sheriff in South Bend, then drove a South Bend City bus. Lyle moved to Tuscon, Arizona many years ago and was a police officer before becoming a dispatcher for a local cab company.
He leaves three children, Wendy and Ryan with his first wife, Sherry Bickel Emery from South Bend and Aaron with his second wife, Janet, from Tuscon.
Lyle had two brothers, Roy Wamsley and John Wamsley. Roy passed many years ago and Lyle used to drive to Kenosha, Wisconsin with his friends Joe Kagel, Steve Horvath and Gary Barth to bring Roy “home” when Roy was on leave. Lyle was also very proud of Roy’s daughter, Dr. Heather Wamsley, a well-known veterinarian.
Some of the people who stayed in touch with Lyle over the years besides family include: Charlene Tobolski Swanson, Steve Hardy, Susan Kunz, Genene Gutierrez, Paul Sovinski, Steve Horvath, Joe Kagel, Tom DeBaets, Davene Harvey Smith and others.
Lyle Wamsley was a good person, a good basketball player and a good friend. He would always “light up a room” in positive ways and he will be missed.
Note: Lyle Wamsley first attended Central but graduated from LaSalle in 1968.
Published online in the South Bend Tribune on June 11, 2024.
06/13/2024 DEC
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