Wayne W. Jastremski

Wayne Walter Jastremski passed away surrounded by family on September 7, 2025 after a long battle with cancer. Wayne was preceded in death by his parents, Charlotte Goluska and Florian Jastremski; and his brother, Bruce Jastremski. He is survived by his loving wife, Mary Jastremski; children, Katie (Laurel) Bishop, Tom Bishop, and Connie Hardy; and his grandchildren, August, Charlie, and Ivy.

He was born in Chicago, IL, on March 16, 1949; his family moved several times in his early years, eventually settling in St. Anthony, MN. As a teenager, he spent his time outside playing sports, where hockey and baseball became favorite pastimes. He attended St. John’s University and the University of Minnesota, graduating with a Bachelor of Science.

Wayne spent his lifetime as a teacher. He played a key role at Camp Menogyn, a YMCA camp on the edge of the Boundary Waters. During his 8 years at camp Wayne was a mentor and adventure buddy for generations of campers, making it safe for them to explore everything from learning how to build a campfire to paddling to Hudson Bay. He encouraged young people to learn while creating a strong sense of community.

Wayne never met a problem that couldn’t be fixed through creative engineering. He took great joy in building things, fixing an endless variety of household challenges for his friends and family. He was a professional cabinet maker for many years, and his sense of perfection informed how he approached all projects. Woe betide the helper who put the tools back in the wrong place. Whatever the project, Wayne always wanted to teach you how to fix it yourself, believing that people should be empowered to solve challenges through knowledge.

Wayne’s pride and joy was his family. Meeting Mary was one of the happiest parts of his life. He loved his wife and family and fiercely cared for them. He loved skiing, ice skating, traveling, crosswords, and starting every fall with a misplaced hope that the Bears would put together a winning season. He was surrounded by a loving community and family who will miss him greatly.

Private services will be held.