Wayne William Livingston

The funeral service for Wayne Livingston, 88, of Russell, will take place at 11:00 a.m. on Thursday, April 9, 2026, at the Grace First Church in Russell. Visitation will be held on Wednesday, April 8, from 4:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. with a Prayer Service at 5:30 p.m. at the Horvath Remembrance Center in Marshall. Visitation will continue on Thursday from 10:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. at Grace First Church in Russell. Interment will follow the service at the Russell Cemetery.

Wayne William Livingston was born on November 25, 1937, in Balaton, Minnesota, to Lee and Lucille (Wood) Livingston. He grew up in Russell andgraduated from Russell High School. Wayne obtained his bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from South Dakota State University and was a lifelong fan and self-appointed recruiter of the Jackrabbits in both athletics and academics. Wayne was a Vietnam-era member of both the South Dakota and Minnesota National Guards. He and Marian Williams were united in marriage on August 26, 1961. They lived in Maple Grove and Wayne worked for the Bemis Company in Minneapolis. Wayne transferred to the Curwood Company, and later to Bemis Converter Films, and the family relocated to New London, Wisconsin in 1978. Wayne specialized in designing machinery and factories that made extruded plastic products. Work provided Wayne with the opportunity to travel to Europe, which he was able to share with Marian on occasion. Wayne retired in 2000 and they moved back home to Russell.

In 1967, Wayne built a rustic family cabin in Northern Minnesota which has been and continues to be a gathering space for the family. The cabin was updated by Wayne and son Chad in the early 2000’s to better serve Wayne and Marian post Wayne’s retirement and their return to Minnesota. They developed many close relationships at the cabin. Time spent with family and close friends was very valuable to Wayne.

Wayne loved the outdoors. He enjoyed fishing, hunting, trapping, watching birds, and watching Marian fight with squirrels at their birdfeeders. He learned much of his ingenuity and love of the outdoors as a child of the Great Depression. He trapped to make money as a youth and to finance his college education. He worked construction jobs in the summer, occasionally with his father. Wayne was a faithful steward of resources, natural and financial; fiscally responsible yet very generous. Wayne’s formative years covered the Second World War, the Korean War, and the Vietnam conflict, instilling him with fierce patriotism and a love of service.

Some of Wayne’s greatest feats of engineering were his stories, and we still remain wondering which parts were true and which parts were fabricated from his imagination. Wayne had an innate sense for exactly how much truth was required to support a good story. Perhaps a disservice to this legend, the recounting of the events of his life here is largely accurate.

Wayne passed on Thursday, April 2, 2026, in Tyler, MN, and was reunited with his son, after a long journey with health problems. Wayne is survived by his wife, Marian Livingston of Russell, with whom he enjoyed almost 65 years of marriage, daughter Kristi (Brian) Fischer of Duluth, daughter Danna (Bobby) Livingston- Matherly of Lake Nebagamon, WI, nine granddaughters and two great- grandchildren, sister Barbara (Marland) Burckhardt of Carlisle, PA, nieces, nephews, relatives and friends. He was preceded in death by his parents, son Chad Livingston, in-laws Alfred and Jeanette Williams, brother Darwin (Mary Jane) Livingston, beloved nieces and nephews, and other relatives. Wayne has found his comfort, peace, and great reward with those he had lost and wishes solace to those who survive him.  

In God we trust.

In lieu of flowers or memorials, please consider a donation to a non-profit of your choosing.