ESTHER WAGNER

ESTHER WAGNER 1926 ~ 2024
Esther Theresa Wagner of Medicine Hat passed away on Wednesday, October 9, 2024 at the age of 98 years, beloved wife of the late Roy Wagner. She leaves to cherish her memory, her son, Ed (Arlyne) Wagner; daughter-in-law, Annie Wagner; partner and best friend, Norman Bonin; six grandchildren, Sara (Boyd) Block, Nadine (James) Rae, Brett (Amber) Wagner, Kevin (Serena) Wagner, Scott (Chelsea) Wagner, and Jack Wagner; ten great grandchildren, Casey, Hailey, Abby, Avery, Keaton, Zoe, Dexter, Callie, Stella, and Kathleen as well as numerous nieces and nephews. She was predeceased by her husband, Roy Wagner; her parents, John and Mary Vinish; her son, Gary Wagner, and her five brothers and sisters.

Esther was born March 13, 1926, in Davis, SK. She grew up on the family farm near Wakaw with her parents and five siblings. She went to work in Prince Albert when she was16 years old. There she met Roy at a dance while he was stationed in the Army. They dated for two years and were married on June 4, 1946.

Roy and Esther settled in Medicine Hat where their sons were born, Ed in 1951, and Gary in 1953. They built a house on Riverside together and lived there until Roy passed in 1979. Esther took on a new life and worked at Sears in the children’s department for several years. During that time, she met Norm Bonin and they became close to each other for many years. Esther was heartbroken when Gary passed away in 2009.That was a very difficult time for her. She moved to Chinook Village with Norm in 2015, where she lived until her death.
Norm and his family: Stewart and Louisa ( Ben and Matthew), and Steven (Antoine) loved her dearly and she felt the same love for that family. She will be dearly missed in their hearts.

Esther loved children and was happy to babysit , buy gifts and teach the young girls her baking skills. The family never ran out of cookies. She loved to talk to the grandchildren and great grandchildren, telling them stories of her life. She wrote many of these memories in her book to be passed on to the next generations. Esther loved to scratch lottery tickets and go to the casino with her friend Chris Pocsik. She said, “I don’t drink or smoke so the casino is my entertainment.” She told us, be a good person, be kind to the children, and take care of yourself. She was a kind, generous and loving lady who will be missed by all.

A private family service will be held at a later date. To leave a message of condolence you may visit www.pattisonfuneralhome.com.

PATTISON FUNERAL HOME AND CREMATORIUM 540 South Railway St. SE, Medicine Hat T1A 4C2