Obituary
Dr. Wayne L. Peay
RVDA President 1980-81

Submitted by Michael Peay,  Holiday World RV

Wayne Peay passed away at 93 of natural causes at his home in Corrales, New Mexico on January 16, 2021. He was born to Jessie and Ruth Peay on March 18, 1927 in Provo, Utah into humble beginnings. As a young boy his family moved to Mesa and then Clifton, Arizona. In the spring of 1945, after graduating high school in Morenci, Arizona, Wayne joined the Navy where he served for two years. Upon his return, he attended the University of Arizona in Tucson. That is where he met Marilyn Simmons, his wife of seventy years.

Wayne and Marilyn were married on December 23, 1950 and after just a few days, they were off to Kansas City, Missouri where Wayne attended dental school and Marilyn was an elementary school teacher. Once he had his dental degree, they moved back to Arizona to operate a dental practice for a year and then went on to complete training in orthodontics in Seattle, Washington.

Wayne and Marilyn selected Albuquerque, New Mexico as the place to build his orthodontic practice and raise a family, moving there in the spring of 1956. Together they raised four daughters and a son along with raising Arabian horses in the rural north valley. He loved the outdoors and often took the family fishing to mountain lakes in Arizona, New Mexico, and Colorado. His first travel trailer was an Airstream. There wasn’t enough room for everyone inside, so the two oldest kids slept outside in a tent. To accommodate the family, after a few years he traded for a fold down camping trailer. He loved being in the mountains. He was always connected with the outdoors and the RV lifestyle. So much so that in 1975 he sold his orthodontic practice of 20 years and purchased an RV dealership.

In October 1975 Wayne’s Recreational Vehicles was born. In short time Wayne became active in the Recreation Vehicle Dealer Association, RVDA, where he served as President from 1980 to 1981. He continued to operate the dealership until his retirement in 1991. During those years he made many lasting friendships and traveled all over the country and the world with other dealer principals and their spouses. He forged strong friendships through his RVDA and 20 Group association with early RV industry leadership icons. These friends gave him insight and guidance in the RV business for many years. He would want to thank them and others that helped in his success.

To those of you who touched his life, he thanks you, and we, his family, thank you. And to those whose lives he touched, we hope his mentorship, encouragement, and friendship helped you in some way along your journey.

Wayne is survived by his wife Marilyn, son Michael and wife Jo Anna, daughters Dee Ann Peay, Deborah Farris and husband Fred, Elise Thorpe and husband Cliff, son-in-law Matt Kwapich, who has been so helpful and kind, fifteen grandchildren and five great grandchildren. He is preceded in death by his daughter Cherilyn Peay Kwapich.

A private family memorial service will be held February 27, 2021 at Shepard of the Valley Presbyterian Church in Albuquerque.