The People and Stories that Inspire Us – Part 2

Each day Habitat for Humanity Springfield receives many interesting calls from people donating items for resale in our ReStore. In early June one of these calls was unlike any that we had ever received.  This call brought Mr. Wayne Carle and over 1,500 books, purchased in the last three years, into our world. This call would spark not only its own event to be held the week of July 11 at the ReStore, but a friendship with a wonderful 92 year old man with such an interesting life’s story.

Wayne Carle was born in Green River, Wyoming in 1930. He grew up in Utah where he graduated from BYU and began his career in education teaching English, journalism, and French. In the late 50s Wayne moved his family to Dayton, Ohio, where he eventually became superintendent of schools. It was a trying time for the district and Wayne was eventually fired for trying to integrate Dayton schools. His path then took him to Texas Southern University. His work in education continued and he retired after serving as Superintendent of Schools in Jefferson County, Colorado, the state’s largest district.

A man who reads a wide variety of literature, Wayne is a self-described “Renaissance Man” who wants to be knowledgeable in all fields. His favorite authors are John Shelby Spong, a religious writer, and James Patterson, whom Wayne credits with helping him to fall in love with fiction. Wayne has written a memoir containing over 400 pages, telling the story of his life entitled People, Places, & Principles, filled with stories, articles, and pictures of a life well lived.

Please help us celebrate his wonderful gift Monday, July 11 at the Habitat for Humanity ReStore when these books will go on sale as we celebrate the ReStore’s first Monday being open, 2410 S. Scenic, Springfield, MO.

By Beth Hughs