Wayne L. Cave, 99, of Cherokee, Iowa, passed away on Tuesday evening, September 29, 2026 at Accura Healthcare.

Memorial services will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, October 3, 2026 at Bethlehem Lutheran Church located at 300 E. Bow Drive in Cherokee, Iowa. Pastor Alan Cummins will officiate. Burial will be in the Afton Township Cemetery at rural Cherokee, Iowa. Military rites will be performed by the Cherokee American Legion and L.A. Wescott Post #2253. Visitation will be held at 9:30 a.m. until service time on Saturday morning at Bethlehem Lutheran Church in Cherokee. Online condolences may be left at www.boothbyfuneral.com.

Wayne was born on June 27, 1927 to Purl and Bernice (Stone) Cave at their farm in Cherokee. He graduated from Wilson High School and enlisted in the United States Army, where he served for 2 years in Korea.

He was united in marriage on June 12, 1955 to Marlene Schoeneman at Bethlehem Lutheran Church in Spencer, Iowa. Wayne worked at J.C. Penney’s and theatres. He also worked for 33 years at the Cherokee State Mental Health Institute in the Maintenance Department.

He was a member of Bethlehem Lutheran Church in Cherokee, Iowa.

Wayne and Marlene wintered in Apache Junction, Arizona for many years and he worked in maintenance in the trailer park.

He was preceded in death by his parents, wife Marlene, and son Alan Cave.

He is survived by his nieces and nephew Paula Burch of Cherokee, Iowa, Peggy Rebhuhn of Sutherland, Iowa, and Loren Cave of San Rafael, California; also several cousins and many friends.