Obituary: Wayne L. Klahs (2024)

KENNEBUNK – Wayne L. Klahs, 75, of Sanbornville, N.H., and Kennebunk, passed away June 11, 2024, after a courageous battle with cancer.

Wayne was born in Buffalo, N.Y., on Sept. 8, 1948, to Leonard Joseph and Helen Wilma (Kozlowski) Klahs. He attended school in Cheshire, Conn., and graduated from Northeastern University in Boston, Mass. in 1971 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Industrial Engineering. To pay his way through college, Wayne pumped gas and parked cars at what once was Anthony’s Pier 4. Wayne served in the Army Reserves from 1971 to 1977.

Wayne began his career in the oil industry in 1969 with a work program at Northeastern. His first job was as a sales representative for Texaco Marketing.

In his 40 years of service with Heritage Texaco, Caltex, and Chevron, he held various management assignments, including positions in retail marketing, wholesale marketing, operations and logistics management, information management, and planning within various regions in the U.S., including White Plains, N.Y., Terrytown, N.Y., Atlanta, Ga., New Orleans, La., and San Ramon, Calif.

In 1998, Wayne was named general manager of marketing for Caltex Australia, where he managed all operational elements and support functions for the Caltex Joint Venture in Australia. In 2001, he transferred to Bangkok, Thailand, as general manager for retail development Asia, Middle East, and Africa and was Country Chairman of Thailand, Cambodia, and Laos. In 2003, he was assigned to the project team that developed the strategic transformation of Chevron’s downstream business into a Global Functional model. In January 2007, Wayne was appointed vice president of Global Marketing’s Africa Europe Pakistan Region and CEO of Chevron South Africa Pty Ltd. He has served as Chairman of the Board of Chevron Nigeria Pty Ltd and was Chairman of the Board of Chevron Pakistan Ltd. Wayne also served on the Board of NACS (National Association of Convenience Stores) and the Board of Accelerate Cape Town.

Wayne was a smart businessman who enjoyed sharing his views and wisdom with his daughters, nieces, and nephews. He had a great sense of humor and was also quite the prankster with his many colleagues throughout the years. One of his favorite tricks was to move their car and watch them try to find it.

Wayne was active throughout his life. He ran five marathons and various other road races. He climbed 15 4000-foot summits in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. In 2014, he rode BikeMaine, a seven-night, 342-mile, 18,332 feet of climbing. He enjoyed tennis, traveling, fishing, and woodworking. Wayne made many pieces of furniture and other items. He attended Wooden Boat School in Brooklin for several summers, where he made model boats as well as larger boats for the lake. The last project that he was unable to finish was a motorized sailboat that he could not wait to show his grandchildren.

In 1980, Wayne met Gail Waterman in Boston, Mass. on a blind date over Memorial Day weekend. They married in November of that year in Kennebunkport. They raised two beautiful daughters, Bethany and Janessa. The girls always commented that when Dad called for a family meeting, they were about to be transferred again (something that didn’t exactly thrill them!).

Wayne was a wonderful grandfather and had great fun with his grandchildren. He loved to exchange jokes (mostly dad jokes), play chess, steamroll them on the Lilly Pad, The Pit of Misery (catching them between his legs, which were tree-like), and have them guess the password to be released: Dilly Dilly! Rumpelstiltskin! Sassafras! etc. And the latest game: Friday Night Smackdown!! Oh, did I mention the Smelling Coin Game when he would have you touch a coin, smell your finger, and guess which coin you touched? He never shared how he mastered this fine skill.

Wayne truly was larger than life. Martini Man will be missed by family and friends worldwide. In his memory, please raise a glass and have “Just One More.”

Wayne is survived by his loving wife, Gail of New Hampshire; daughter, Bethany, her husband Danny, and children Harrison and Davis of Roswell, Ga.; daughter, Janessa, her husband Justin, and children Arden and Turner of Springfield, Va.; brother, Timothy of New York City, N.Y.; brothers-in-law, sisters-in-law, nieces, nephews, and cousins.

He was preceded in death by his parents.

The family would like to thank the many caregivers and nurses from Extended Family of Dover, N.H., and Wentworth Homecare and Hospice of Somersworth, N.H., for their dedicated and attentive care.

Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. on Wednesday, June 19, at Bibber Memorial Chapel, 67 Summer St., Kennebunk. Visitation will begin at 10 a.m. until service time. Burial will immediately follow at Riverside Cemetery in Springvale.

To share a memory or leave a message of condolence, please visit Wayne’s Book of Memories Page at http://www.bibberfuneral.com.

Arrangements are in care of Bibber Memorial Chapel, 62 Cemetery Rd., Berwick, ME 03901.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the American Cancer Society.

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