Obituary of Muriel Wagner

Muriel M. Wagner, age 77 of Iowa City passed away Monday, August 15, 2022, at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics. Services celebrating Muriel’s life will begin at 3 pm Saturday, August 20, 2022, at Gay & Ciha Funeral and Cremation Service, the visitation will be held one hour prior to the services. Burial will be at St. Joseph Cemetery in Iowa City. In lieu of flowers, a memorial fund has been established in her memory. To share a thought, memory, or condolence, please visit the Gay & Ciha Funeral and Cremation Service website at www.gayandciha.com. Muriel Marie Jones was born April 7, 1945, in Hardy, Arkansas the daughter of James “Buster” and Flossie Jane (Allen) Jones. Following high school she and her best friend, Katie moved to Iowa City. Katie left for a couple of weeks, leaving Muriel to fend for herself. Muriel found a job at the Huddle in the Jefferson Hotel, and it is here that she met the love of her life, William “Bill” Wagner. They married and made Iowa City their home with the exception of living in Colorado. While they were there at the United States Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, CO, they welcomed their two daughters, Terri Lynn and Laura. They returned to Iowa City four years later, after being a stay-at-home mom for a short time Muriel worked at The Carousel restaurant with her mother & sisters-in-law. Muriel finished her career as a Lead Processing Coordinator at Pearson for many years before retirement. During her retirement, Muriel moved her daughter Laura home from assisted living. Together they would make trips to the library, go shopping, and watch their favorite soaps, General Hospital, and The Young and the Restless. Muriel enjoyed sewing, interior decorating, doing puzzles, reading, and writing poetry; all of which she was rather good at! Muriel was a collector of anything Elvis, enjoyed traveling back to Arkansas to spend time with her family and enjoyed spending the holidays with her Iowa City family! Every Mother’s Day Muriel and her daughter Terri made the tradition of spending the day shopping for flowers for their flower gardens. Holidays were always a special time for Muriel to be with her family; Muriel and her granddaughter Autumn would always say “cheers, and I love you,” with their first glass of wine on every holiday. Whenever Muriel would mention Terri, Laura, and Autumn, she would always mention them as “her girls.” Her family includes daughters, Terri Lynn Stecklein (Scott) of Coralville, and Laura Wagner of Iowa City; granddaughter, Autumn Schultz (Scott) of Muscatine; great-grandson, Patrick Alan Schultz of Muscatine; siblings, Harvey Jones, Bonnie Morgan, and Delphaletia Jones all of Hardy, AR. Muriel is survived by sisters-in-law, cousins, nieces, and nephews on the Jones side. Also, she is survived by her brothers & sisters-in-law, nieces, and nephews on the Wagner side. Muriel was preceded in death by her parents, Buster and Flossie Jones, husband, Bill Wagner, brothers, James Jones, Donaldlee Jones, Junior Jones, and Delbert Jones, sister, Christine Cooper, and brother-in-law Bob Morgan, and sister-in-law Lola Jones.