Wm Wayne Liskey
WM Wayne Liskey, 87, departed life on May 29, 2026, at Bridgewater Home, where he has resided since 2022.
Wayne was born June 14, 1938, in Harrisonburg, VA to the late Wilmer Perry “Bill” Liskey and Alice Katherine Liskey. He is survived by his son Jeff and daughter-in-law Margaret, his granddaughter Amber and her husband Mady, his two great granddaughters Sélène and Théa, brother Russell Liskey, sisters Donna Riddle, Alice Wilson & Brenda Patterson. He is also survived by many wonderful nephews and nieces.
He was preceded in death by his dear wife Rebecca, his younger brother Winston Liskey, brother-in law Bobby Patterson, and brother-in-law Richard Wilson.
Wayne spent most of his life in the heart of the Shenandoah Valley, growing up on the family farm near Cross Keys, VA and later helping maintain the farm. He graduated from Montevideo HS in 1956 and received an Art Education degree from Madison College in 1962. Later in 1968 he received a master’s degree in Sculpture from the University of Maryland.
In the summer of 1962, while working a summer job at the hotel La Pierre in Ocean Grove, New Jersey, he met his future wife, Rebecca Zinn. They married Oct. 1963 and in 1964 their son was born.
Wayne and family settled in Harrisonburg, VA, where he taught High School art in both Rockingham and Augusta counties. Other jobs held include adjunct art instructor at Blue Ridge Community College, Graphic Artist for Good Printers, and Graphic Designer at James Madison University. He retired from JMU in 1995. After retirement, Wayne and Rebecca fulfilled a long-held dream and took a trip together to Paris, France. His final overseas trip was in 2022 with his wife, son, and daughter-in-law for a special visit with his granddaughter and her husband in Dakar, Senegal.
In his golden years, Wayne and his wife Rebecca enjoyed traveling together to attend art shows, concerts, and Broadway/Off-Broadways shows. While at home, he especially enjoyed working on many home projects, upkeep of the local family farm, welding, woodworking, sculpture making, and visits with family and his neighborhood friends,
Wayne’s life as a sculpture artist included exhibitions at many prominent art galleries. Over many years he had art shows at the Baltimore Museum of Art, the Corcran Gallery in Wash. D.C., the Virginia Museum of Art in Richmond, Va, the Mariner’s Museum in Newport News, Va., and a variety of university galleries. He was also accomplished in painting and pottery.
A memorial service will be held at the Lantz Chapel in the Bridgewater Retirement Community
on Saturday July 18, 2026 from 2pm – 3pm.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to BRC Foundation, 302 N. Second Street, Bridgewater, Va. 22812. (www.brcliving.org).
Favorite memories and online condolences may be sent to the family at www.johnsonfs.com.
