Wayne Siegert was an all-around athlete who graduated with the Class of 1947. He played all four years of football, basketball, track and field and two years of baseball. Wayne was named MVP of the football team as a tackle and awarded Honorable Mention on the All-State Team. He was also the President of the Boys Major Letter Club and played in the band his first two years.
Wayne would go on to play football for the University of Illinois where he lettered in 1949-50. He was drafted in 1951 in the 13th round by the Detroit Lions. Wayne would never play for the Lions and was traded to the now defunct New York Yanks where he would appear in four games.
Mr. Siegert lived in Kansas City, Missouri, and Nebraska, but lived the last 50 years of his life in Pana. He was co-owner of Pana Auto Supply, worked at Seymour Paint, and worked at Siegert-Lees Insurance until he retired. Wayne enjoyed golf, hunting, fishing, and the outdoors. He especially loved spending time with his family. He was a member of the First United Methodist Church in Pana, Pana Country Club, Pana Elks, and Pana Sportsman Club.
Wayne was married to Joanne (Gardiner) for 58 years until her death in 2009. Mr. Siegert passed away in 2014, leaving behind a son, daughter, son-in-law, and their families. Besides his parents and wife, Wayne was preceded in death by his daughter Kimberly Ann Chladny and brother Herb Siegert.
