VICTORIA — Rayburn Alan Haynie, age 77, passed away on January 29, 2023 at his home in Victoria, Texas, with his wife, Alene, by his side. He was born on July 5, 1945 to Joseph Daniel Haynie and Iva Mae Cunningham Haynie in Victoria, Texas. He married Alene Frels Haynie on July 5, 1975 and they made their home in Seadrift, Texas. The couple had one son, Craig Alan Haynie, who proceeded his father in death on November 26, 2018. Rayburn is also proceeded in death by his parents, his brother, Joseph Daniel Haynie, his brother-in-law, Dean Spells, and his niece, Holly Spells.

In addition to his wife, Rayburn is survived by his sister, Sandra Haynie Spells of Aransas Pass, Texas.

Rayburn was a graduate of Calhoun High School, class of 1963, and attended Victoria College. Rayburn loved the water and enjoyed duck hunting, fishing, shrimping, and water-skiing in his younger years. Later, he owned and operated Haynie’s Seafood, as well as building steel hull shrimp boats, gulf shrimp boats, and oyster boats. In the early 1980’s Rayburn began the large-scale production of Haynie’s Fishing Boats, a shallow draft fishing boat design. The boats were designed, manufactured and sold in Seadrift. In recent years, he sold the business and retired. The various models of Haynie Boats are still very popular. Rayburn also served on the Seadrift City Council for many terms and was Mayor of Seadrift during the 1979 difficult time in Seadrift’s history. Rayburn was an active member of First United Methodist Church in Seadrift and served in various offices on the Church Council. Rayburn and Alene later transferred their membership to First United Methodist Church in downtown Victoria.

Many friends in Seadrift have funny stories and happy memories of their friend “Haynie” and taking trips to the Island, to the rice canals, or to the back bays for camping, fishing and hunting adventures. He will be dearly missed and, no doubt, leaves many tales for repeating by his breakfast-table buddies and his afternoon coffee round-table friends.

In accordance with his wishes, Rayburn will be cremated and there will be no funeral service or visitation. His cremains will be interred in the Seadrift Cemetery in a private graveside service.

For those wishing to do so, memorials may be given in his memory to the Seadrift Cemetery Association, P. O. Box 181, Seadrift, Texas 77983. Share memories and condolences with the family at www.colonialfuneralhomevictoria.com