Jewell Wayne Valbracht, age 75, of Cabot, Arkansas, passed away peacefully on April 2, 2026. He was born on February 5, 1951, to Mary Ellen and Joel Wayne Valbracht, who preceded him in death.
Wayne is survived by his beloved wife of 53 years, Carol Valbracht; his sons, Gary Valbracht of Tulsa, OK, and David (Amber) Valbracht of Cabot, AR; and his adopted son, Kyle (Alexa) Wallace of Cabot. He is also survived by his brothers, James (Nancy) Valbracht and John (Kim) Valbracht, both of Chillicothe.
Wayne was a proud grandfather to Mary, Aaron, John, Savanna, Robert, and Mylie Valbracht; Aurora Wallace; and Franzi and Michael Fowler. He was also blessed with a great-granddaughter, Mavis Valbracht. He leaves behind many cherished nieces and nephews — Holly, Amy, Mike, Darcy, Keagan, and Blake — as well as great-nieces and great-nephews Harris, Ida, Ella, Eli, Kyle, and Connor. Wayne also held close friendships with Karen, Anita, and Cindy, whom he considered part of his extended family.
Wayne graduated from Chillicothe High School in 1969 before attending University of Central Missouri, where he earned a double major. He proudly served in the United States Air Force from February 1979 until April 1987. Following his honorable discharge, Wayne began a career with J.B. Hunt Transport Services as an over-the-road driver and later became a safety instructor before retiring.
Wayne found great joy in the outdoors, working on cars alongside his sons, and camping with his family. He had a lifelong passion for building models and was an avid enthusiast of planes and trains. He was known for his warm sense of humor, especially his dad jokes and his habit of intentionally mispronouncing words to make others laugh. Holidays were especially meaningful to Wayne, and no celebration felt complete without Snoopy, the Peanuts gang, and a large holiday feast lovingly prepared by him.
Wayne passed away peacefully while in the care of the compassionate hospice staff at John L. McClellan Memorial Veterans Hospital. In his final days, he was surrounded by family and friends, passing with the comfort of knowing he was deeply loved and cherished.
Memorial contributions may be made in Wayne’s memory to organizations supporting veterans or hospice care. Wayne’s greatest joy was caring for and spending time with his family. His memory will live on in the laughter, traditions, and love he shared so generously with those around him.
Memorial services will be held at Edgewood Cemetery in Chillicothe, MO, on June 5, 2026, at 2:00 p.m.