EMANUEL WAGNER 1931 – 2024

Emanuel Wagner, 92, of Anderson, passed away, Monday evening, February 26, 2024, at his home.

A Memorial Funeral Mass for Emanuel will be celebrated 10:30 a.m. Saturday, April 6, at St. Mary Catholic Church, 8227 CR 205 at FM 1774, in Plantersville, with Rev. Edward C. Kucera, Jr. as the celebrant.

Emanuel was born August 1, 1931, in Dobbin to George and Frances Swonke Wagner. He attended school in Dobbin until the 6th grade when his family moved to Hempstead. At that point he attended school for another two years and dropped out in the 8th grade to help his dad on the farm. Emanuel helped farm cotton and watermelons when he wasn’t getting up to mischief with his siblings. One particular story Emanuel loved to tell was the time he crawled into a barrel while his father was plowing the field with their mule. When his father got close enough, Emanuel jumped out, causing the mule to faint. His mother accused him of killing their mule but, fortunately, it came to, and all was well.

In December of 1952, Emanuel was drafted into the Army during the Korean War. He did his basic training in Arkansas and was eventually stationed in Germany behind the Iron Curtain. We believe this is where his love for travel began and he never lost that passion throughout his life. Emanuel was awarded the Expert Infantry Badge during his two years in the Army. He came back home in 1954, not without obstacles. The ship he came back on hit some very bad storms and he said he “had to hang onto everything, but one of them was not a camera, so no pictures.”

In 1957 Emanuel met Aline Wagner, his future wife, at the American Legion Hall in Anderson. He was living in Houston at this time, but she still lived in Anderson. They kept in touch by writing letters to each other and he would visit her when he had the money. They married on May 16, 1959 and lived in an apartment in the Heights until they built a home in Cypress in 1960. That house was home to four children, but they would also spend most of their weekends and holidays up in the cabin in Anderson that they got in the 70’s.

Many memories were created at that cabin, but Emanuel also loved to travel. He would frequently go with family to various places. Fishing, camping, cruising. No matter what it was, he enjoyed every moment of the adventures that he was able to experience with his loved ones. His family meant everything to him and as long as he was with them, he was happy. His final years were spent in Anderson. He passed the time gardening, tending to the chickens and watching the sunsets. Emanuel’s final moments were spent surrounded by family and loved ones. He touched every heart that he encountered. There was never a person he met who didn’t immediately consider him a friend. The world is fortunate to have had someone as amazing as Emanuel Wagner. You were loved and you will be missed.

Emanuel was preceded in death by his parents, siblings, Johnnie Wagner, Pete Wagner, Louise Bradley and Josephine Gainey.

Survivors include his wife of 64 years, Aline Wagner; children, Janice Day and husband Timothy, David Wagner and wife Rhonda, Mary Wagner-Fonville and Patricia Wagner; siblings Martha Middleton and husband Roger and Thomas Wagner and wife Derinda; grandchildren, Christopher Hopkins, Krista Payne and husband Ryan, Amber Lim and husband Christopher, Megan Logan and husband Patrick, Melissa Sebesta and husband Brent, Candace Day-Butler and husband Pete, Sarah Fonville and James Fonville; 11 great grandchildren, other relatives and a great number of friends.