Theodore (Ted) R. Wagner passed away peacefully on Friday, Oct. 9, 2015. Ted celebrated his 76th birthday last month.
He was born Sept. 5, 1939 in Caldwell, ID, to Edwin and Alma Wagner. He enjoyed life as a farm boy with his brother and two sisters. He joined the Navy in 1957 and was very proud of being a veteran.
He met the love of his life while visiting cousins in Long Beach, CA, while on leave. Dorothy and Ted were married two years later on June 27, 1959 in Long Beach. They then made their home in Caldwell, ID. There they had their first two daughters, Robin and Sheri. They moved to American Falls in 1964. Ted started working in the farm implement business. He enjoyed getting to know the farmers in the area and called many of them friends.
Daughter Becky and son Steve joined the family.
Ted enjoyed camping fishing, and building things made of wood. He made everything from end tables to shelves on the wall. Pretty much anything that Dorothy or his children asked for, he tried to make it. He also enjoyed cooking and sharing recipes. He made several recipes that he liked to brag, rightfully so, that he was famous for.
Ted retired at the age of 63 and he and Dorothy became “full time RV’ers”. They joined the snowbirds and flew south for the winter to Yuma, AZ. There Ted was introduced to wood carving. He loved it! He started taking carving classes at the Yuma Adult Center where he later became an instructor. His carvings and walking sticks became very popular and will be forever cherished! Ted never met a stranger. He would strike up a conversation with anyone he met – telling Dorothy “They look like good people.”
Ted is survived by his loving wife, Dorothy; two sisters, Barbara (Darrell) Perkins and Sharon (Ted) Hays; four children and their spouses, Robin (Glen) Claunch, Sheri (Stacy) Styhl, Becky (Mark) Scherer, and Steve (Raquel) Wagner; nine grandchildren and seven (plus one on the way) great-grandchildren. He is preceded in death by his parents and brother.
A memorial service will be held in American Falls at the Episcopal Church on Saturday, Oct. 17, at 11 a.m. Military rites will follow at Falls View Cemetery. The family has requested that, in lieu of flowers, donations be made to the American Heart Association at www.heart.org.
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