Wayne C Cobia

Wayne Carl Cobia, a man with a heart and presence as big as the outdoors he loved, died Saturday, July 3 from complications related to cancer. He was 45.

Wayne, who lived with his family in Syracuse, passed peacefully with his high school sweetheart, wife Kimberlee Packer Cobia, by his side. In addition to his wife, he leaves behind: daughter, Baylie; three sons, Caden, Carson and Corbin; mother, Judith Cobia; sisters Carrie Sue Poulsen (Clare), Jennifer Ann Brady (Lance); and communities of friends, relatives, and colleagues who will miss his grit, ethic, steadfastness, and unmistakable, contagious laugh.

He was proceeded in death by his infant daughter, Brooklee; father, Carl Edmond Cobia; father-in-law, Lee Doyle Packer and sister-in-law, Ericalee Packer Crosland.

Tucked between two sisters as the second child, Wayne was born Jan. 17, 1976 in Brigham City to Carl and Judith Petersen Cobia. His childhood was full of family, learning and exploring. He attended Honeyville Elementary and early in life developed his passion for the Snowville family cattle ranch that captured his heart for life. As soon as he was old enough, Wayne travelled to the land with his father, visiting his grandparents and getting his first taste of the hard work and love for the ranch life and fresh air he would pass on to his own boys years later. In the last days of his life, he asked Kimberlee to drive him to Snowville, where Wayne looked over the property like usual, surveying and making sure everything was in good order.

As a teenager, he was a tremendous student, classmate, and athlete at Box Elder High School, earning honors as captain of the football team and State Powerlifting Champion before his graduation in 1994. He met the love of his life at age 16, when he ended up seated in front of Kimberlee in Driver’s Education class. Later, following in his father’s footsteps, Wayne graduated in mechanical engineering from Utah State University, and one week after college graduation, he married his high school sweetheart.

The two began their forever family with the birth of their daughter Baylie 17, Caden 14, and 12-year-old twins Carson and Corbin followed, as did baby Brooklee.  He adored his children, making himself available to them for talking and problem solving at home, and cheering their sports events so boldly he always returned home with a sore throat. Their family travels were epic, and fondly nicknamed TDY, “Traveling Distance Yonder.”

A remarkable, unique man, Wayne balanced this simple, sweet love and appreciation for family, conversation, and walking his Snowville property looking for deer and elk with an intense and complex career as Chief Engineer of Minute Man III missile sustainment for Utah’s BAE Systems. With the same interest that he frequently asked his wife or children to “just talk,” his door was always open to the 200 engineers he supervised and mentored in his defense industry work environment. Known as a revered subject matter industry expert in Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM) engineering, Wayne supervised technical teams of engineers, scientists and staff providing strategic grade analysis and engineering for highly complex and integrated systems of communications. His teams oversaw missile guidance and navigation, launch facilities, power systems, solid and liquid rocket pop propulsion, re-entry systems and many other supporting disciplines missile systems require

Friends and fellow workers say they will honor Wayne with his popular, robust refrain that often echoed the halls at work. “We’ve got this!” Wayne would say.

The family would like to thank Dr. Carl Gray and his entire team at Utah Hematology Oncology for the past 2 years of excellent care.

A viewing will take place from 6-8 p.m. Friday, July 9, at Russon Mortuary, 1585 West 300 South, Syracuse. On Saturday, July 10, a viewing will take place from 9:30-10:30 a.m. prior to the funeral services, which will be held at 11 a.m. at the South Bluff Stake Center, 3065 So. Bluff Road, in Syracuse. Interment will follow at the Brigham City Cemetery at 2:30 p.m. (300 E. 300 S).

Please refer back to this obituary for information on Face book live link to view funeral services.