John P. Wagner 1923-2010

WAGNER, FRANCOIS, ROLLINGER, BETTIS, TIGGES, RYAN, RUSSELL, BAUMANN, DECKERT

Posted By: Judy Nicks (email)
Date: 3/4/2010 at 23:12:52

Telegraph Herald
Dubuque, Iowa
Wednesday, March 3, 2010

John P. Wagner

John P. Wagner, 87, of 813 Tyler St. NE, Cascade, formerly of Fillmore, Iowa, and Dubuque, died at 6:20 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 28, 2010, at The Finley Hospital, Dubuque.

Services will be at 10:30 a.m. Friday, March 5, at Sacred Heart Catholic Church, Fillmore, with Rev. Douglas Loecke officiating and Deacon Marvin Recker assisting. Burial will be in Sacred Heart Cemetery, Fillmore, where military honors will be accorded by the Cascade American Legion-Post 528. Friends may call from 2 to 8 p.m. Thursday, March 4, at Reiff Funeral Home in Cascade, where there will be a wake service at 4 p.m., and a Knights of Columbus rosary will be recited at 7 p.m.

He was born on Jan. 14, 1923 in Fillmore, son of Joseph and Marie (Francois) Wagner. He married Clara Rita Rollinger on June 5, 1946, at St. Martin's Catholic Church in Cascade; she preceded him in death on Oct. 8, 2009. He spent endless hours caring for his beloved wife, Rita, during her stay at Shady Rest Care Center in Cascade.

John was a veteran, having served in the Marine Corps.

He farmed in the Fillmore area until his retirement in 1983. He also was employed at the ASCS office in Dubuque.

He was a member of Sacred Heart Parish in Fillmore, the Cascade Knights of Columbus-Council 920, the 4th Degree Dubourg Assembly Council 573, the Dubuque Elks Club, the Dubuque County Farm Bureau, the Cascade American Legion Post 528 and the Marine Corp. League. He also served as a volunteer at the Dubuque Arboretum and Botanical Gardens.

John enjoyed playing cards and never turned down the chance to play a good game of cards.

Surviving are six children, John "Jack" (Beth) Wagner Jr., of Woodstock, Ill., Jayne (Jim) Bettis, of Peosta, Iowa, Karen Wagner, of Takoma Park, Md., Jeff (Mary Kay) Wagner, of Cascade, Iowa, Sue (Ron) Tigges, of Dubuque, and Steve Wagner, of Denver; nine grandchildren; nine great-grandchildren; three siblings, Betty Ryan, of Cincinnati, Louis (Betty) Wagner, of Dubuque, and Kay (Dick) Russell, of Naperville, Ill.; a brother-in-law, Ed Baumann, of Batavia, Ill.; and a sister-in-law, June Wagner, of Dubuque.

He also was preceded in death by his parents; three siblings, Rosemary (Hank) Deckert, Donald J. Wagner and Mary Celine Baumann; and a brother-in-law, Harry Ryan.

Online condolences may be left for the family at www.reifffuneralhomeinc.com .

The family of John would like to thank the staff and residents of River Bend Assisted Living for all the kindness and friendships extended to John.