Wayne Trotter

Donald Wayne Trotter, 86, of Tecumseh, Oklahoma, passed away peacefully at his home on September 18, 2025, surrounded by loved ones.

Wayne was born in York, Alabama, on February 19, 1939, to Israel and Hazel (Jackson) Trotter. He attended the University of Southern Mississippi, where he received his bachelor’s degree in journalism.

On December 26, 1964, in Bristol, Virginia, Wayne married Gloria, the love of his life. After Bristol, they lived in Memphis, Tennessee; Asheboro, North Carolina; and finally settled in Tecumseh, Oklahoma, in 1983.

Wayne had a long career in journalism, beginning with the Jackson Daily News in Mississippi, then the Bristol Herald-Courier in Virginia, the Memphis Commercial Appeal, and the Asheboro Courier-Tribune in North Carolina, before moving to Tecumseh.

Together, Wayne and Gloria published the Countywide News for 33 years. He also supported the Mabee-Gerrer Museum, the Oklahoma Newspaper Foundation, and served for many years on the board of Mission Hill Memorial Hospital. He also served as publisher of both the Shawnee Sun and McLoud News.

Wayne’s contributions to journalism were widely recognized. He was inducted into the Oklahoma Journalism Hall of Fame, and during his career he won the Oklahoma Press Association’s Beachy Musselman Award and Milt Phillips Award—becoming only the fifth person ever to receive both. He also served as president of the Oklahoma Press Association. Over the years, his editorials won dozens of state contests and were twice awarded “Best Editorial” by the National Newspaper Association.

Wayne enjoyed traveling—especially cruising—but his favorite destinations were New Orleans and Puerto Vallarta. A lifelong passion of his was working on a novel based on his youth, Tales from the High Dike.

He was preceded in death by his father, Israel Leonidas Trotter, Jr., and his mother, Emma Hazel (Jackson) Trotter.

Those left to cherish his memory include his wife, Gloria, of the home; his son and daughter-in-law, Greg and Sabrina Trotter of Tecumseh; granddaughter Brittney Speers and her husband, Devin, with great-grandsons Aiden and Leo of Tatum, Texas; granddaughter Cynthia Cooper and her husband, Clayton, with their children Arya and Oliver of Edmond; granddaughter Elizabeth “Bug” Coppak of Oklahoma City; his sister, Mary Nagurney, and her husband, Frank, of Gaithersburg, Maryland, and many nephews and nieces.

Visitation will be held from 9:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Wednesday, September 24, 2025, and will continue through service time, with the family present from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. at Cooper Funeral Home.  Funeral services will be held at 2:00 p.m. Thursday, September 25, 2025, at Broadway United Methodist Church in Tecumseh, Oklahoma, with Rev. Jessica Higgins officiating. Burial will follow at Tecumseh Cemetery under the direction of Cooper Funeral Home of Tecumseh.

Please join the celebration of Wayne’s life by visiting: https://www.facebook.com/share/g/1G5aayhtuY/?mibextid=wwXlfr

Memorial contributions may be made to Broadway United Methodist Church.