OBITUARY: Wayne Justus

Celebrated Western artist Wayne Justus, 73, passed away peacefully at home on November 4, 2026.

For more than five decades, Wayne captured the spirit of the American West through lifelike paintings of majestic mountains, horses, ranch life, real working cowboys, historic Native American life, hunting scenes, and Civil War history—a subject of deep personal and historical fascination. His attention to detail captured not just their appearance, but their spirit and stories. Whether portraying horses crossing mountain streams, Native Americans, Civil War figures, or rugged landscapes, he made viewers feel as though they could step inside the scene.

A full-time professional artist since 1972, Wayne drew on firsthand experience working cattle ranches in Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, and Colorado. Before marrying Cathy, he broke and trained Thoroughbred racehorses in California. His lifelong love of horses and the West infused his art.

Throughout his career, Wayne exhibited at art shows and galleries nationwide. Highlights included the Prix de West at the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum (formerly the National Cowboy Hall of Fame) in Oklahoma City; the Cheyenne Frontier Days Western Art Show in Wyoming; and the Masters of the American West Exhibition at the Gene Autry Museum in Los Angeles. In 2009, he received the Academy of Western Artists’ Western Artist Award. Articles about Wayne’s life, paintings, and artistic style appeared in Western Horseman, Southwest Art, and Art of the West. He was featured in the hardcover book Contemporary Western Artists.

Wayne and Cathy made Pagosa Springs their home in 1978, building a life surrounded by horses, dogs, and the landscape that inspired his work.
Wayne found peace and inspiration in the mountains he loved. For him, time spent in the mountains was more than an escape into nature; it was a spiritual experience. As he often told Cathy upon returning home, being in the mountains was “like being with God.”

In an article by Gordon Johnson, Wayne was described as having “an inner calm, almost like a Buddhist monk in Western gear.” Beneath his signature cowboy hat was a man of deep and unwavering faith in God, great honor and honesty, remarkable humility, and extraordinary talent. His quiet nature was complemented by quick wit and a lighthearted sense of humor.

He loved playing his fiddle.

Above all, Wayne was an adoring husband and devoted partner to Cathy, his wife of 54 years. He was a man of integrity, a loyal friend, and someone who would do anything for those he loved.

Wayne is survived by his beloved wife, Cathy, and numerous family members, including aunts, uncles, nieces, and nephews.

Wayne leaves a lasting legacy through the friendships he built, the love he shared, and the beauty of his paintings.

A memorial gathering will be held Friday, November 20, at 2pm at Pagosa Bible Church, 209 Harman Park Drive, Pagosa Springs. The service will also be livestreamed at PagosaBibleChurch.org.  Select “Watch Live” to view.