Wayne W. Bastedo ’70

A brilliant and insightful friend of a wide range of his classmates, Wayne died Feb. 15, 2024, in Henderson County, N.C.

He came to us from Port Jefferson High School on Long Island, where his interests in the school paper and theater were well established. At Princeton, he was proudest of his work on the Prince, executed while a member of Naval ROTC, and he belonged to Whig-Clio and Stevenson Hall. He studied politics with Richard Falk, and while many of us hoped in vain for world peace, he put a plan on paper in his thesis.

Wayne was on active duty from 1970 to 1975, serving as a decorated communications officer on the USS Enterprise, then attained law degrees at Hofstra and NYU. He served in corporate legal departments at Exxon and Western Union, switching to a solo practice when he moved to North Carolina in the ’90s, then lost in a race for state representative in 2004. His enjoyment of study and the arts led to an associate’s degree in film production, and continuing work with the senior center drama group in Hendersonville. About 15 years ago, Wayne was diagnosed with Asperger’s syndrome, a mild autism that explained to him insecurities he had fought to overcome his entire life. His 50th-reunion yearbook entry is a marvel of personal insight and courage.

Wayne is survived by his sister, Christine Brunner; his brother, Ralph ’75; and their families. With them, we recall a friendship that, we now find, was a triumph of his will and intellect over his inner demons as well as the inevitable vicissitudes of our lives. Courage is in perpetual short supply, and he will be sorely missed.