Rhonda Lynn Wayne (Harrison) was born December 1, 1957, in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. She spent many childhood summers on her grandparents’ farm, where her lifelong love of horses and country life took root.
A driven and accomplished student, Rhonda was a standout athlete at West Kildonan High School in Winnipeg, Manitoba, where she held a track record for long-distance running. A real go-getter, Rhonda was named runner-up for Miss Teen Winnipeg, worked as a model, and ran her own dog grooming business; she later became an amateur bodybuilder and aerobics instructor.
While working in the racing office of Assiniboia Downs, she met the love of her life John F. Wayne of New York. They soon married and moved to Kentucky, where they both worked at Turfway Park. For several years, they traveled the country with John’s career as a racing investigator and a shared sense of adventure.
Rhonda had a lifelong devotion to animals. Many of the dogs, cats, and even horses who found their way to her were not formally adopted but were taken in when others had abandoned them. If an animal needed a home, she gave them one or found them one. Rhonda was a devoted steward to her four-legged friends. Horses always held a special place in her heart – especially Arabian horses – and she had a deep love for her Standard Poodles and Salukis.
Rhonda loved music and dancing – she was the life of the party. In her later years she enjoyed the comforts of home with plenty of Werther’s Caramels, strawberry milkshakes, ice cold Pepsi (her favorite), and Hazelnut creamer in her many cups of coffee. She loved watching Animal Planet, western movies, & visiting with her grandson.
Rhonda passed away on March 4, 2026. She will be remembered as a fighter, an overcomer, and above all, a steadfast steward of her animals. She is survived by her daughter, Daphne Walters (Thomas), and her grandson, Phoenix; as well as her Canadian family including her mother, Pauline Harrison; her brother, Robert Harrison and his wife, Michelle; her beloved nephew, Dylan (Galen); her niece, Tori (Eric); and many loving cousins and extended family. She will be forever loved and forever missed.
In lieu of flowers, the family invites friends to honor Rhonda’s memory with a donation to the Boone County Animal Shelter in Burlington, KY. Per her wishes, no funeral service will be held.
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