Edwin Wayne Drusch, 82, passed away at his home in Houston on July 2, 2025 after a battle with cancer. Wayne was surrounded by his loving family and just days before was able to celebrate his mother's 99th birthday with her and many family members.

Wayne was born on April 4, 1943 to Edwin and Maxine Drusch in St. Louis, Missouri. Growing up on St. Barbara Street with his three siblings, Wayne spent hours outside exploring with his best friend Charlie. His love for anything mechanical was sparked by his daily walk home from school where he would find discarded treasures in the ash pits behind his neighbors' homes to disassemble. Wayne was a member of the Sea Scouts where he learned to sail on the Mississippi River and undoubtedly where his passion for building model ships began.

Wayne met the love of his life, Ginny, on a church scavenger hunt when they were only 16 and 15 years old. He was so smitten, he continued to date her even after she crashed his car and he took the blame to keep her out of trouble. Wayne graduated from Pattonville High School in 1961 where he played both baseball and football. Attending college at Southeast Missouri State, he was a teaching major and member of Sigma Phi Epsilon. During their senior year, Wayne and Ginny married on Thanksgiving Day in 1965 and graduated in 1966.

A few years later, Wayne and Ginny left Missouri and settled in Houston where he leaned into the role of dad when Caryn was born in 1970 and then Annalie in 1972. The OG of dad jokes, Wayne was the master of silly puns and cheesy quips. He utilized his master craftsman skills to build anything and everything for his daughters including toy boxes, furniture, personalized leatherwork and even a roof-top play fort.

Wayne was a true problem solver no matter if the challenge was mechanical, structural, or technological. He applied those skills in his career as a safety professional in the oil and gas industry with Getty Oil and Tenneco, Inc and later in the Office of Human Resources and Risk Management with Harris County, Texas, where he retired in 2008.

Throughout his life, Wayne was happiest working with his hands and delighted in the entire process of researching, designing, sourcing and constructing his project du jour. Ever the hobbyist, he spent his time jewelry making, leather working, building model trains and ships and even restoring his beloved 1972 Cutlass convertible. Wayne's beautifully-crafted pieces surround those whom he loved most, leaving behind his legacy.

Wayne is preceded in death by his father, Edwin Drusch and his sister, Carolyn Allen. He will be deeply missed by his wife of 59 years, Ginny Drusch and his daughters, Caryn Graves (Wes) and Annalie Grubbs (Edwin) as well as grandsons Daniel Wayne, Emmitt Edwin and Nolan Wolf. Wayne is also survived by his mother, Maxine Drusch, his brother Gerald Drusch (Ren), sister Barbara Mederios (Dale) and his sisters-in-law, nieces and nephews.

Serving as honorary pallbearers will be Gerald Drusch, Daniel Graves, Wes Graves, Edwin Grubbs, Emmitt Grubbs, and Nolan Grubbs

Services will be held on Saturday, July 19 at 2pm at Klein Funeral Home, 16131 Champion Forest Drive, Houston, TX 77379.