Obituary of Earl L. Wagner

Earl L. Wagner, age 92 formerly of Cascade died Saturday, July 26, 2025, at Oaknoll Retirement Residence in Iowa City,  where he and his wife, Marie have resided together for the last year and a half. 

Memorial services will be held at 1pm Friday, August 1, 2025, at Gay & Ciha Funeral and Cremation Service in Iowa City.  Burial will be at a later date at St. Matthias Cemetery in Cascade.  In lieu of flowers, memorial donations can be made to Camp Courageous in Monticello in Earl’s honor.  Condolences can either be sent to his daughter Carol Lorei for Marie Wagner @ 55 Bunker Hill Drive, Lisbon, IA 52253 or through the funeral home website @ www.gayandciha.com (http://www.gayandciha.com/).

Earl Lee Wagner was born October 10, 1932, in Oklahoma. As a small child moved with his family to Iowa where they resided in the Dubuque/Bellevue area.  Following graduation from high school, Earl enlisted in the United States Air Force serving during the Korean Conflict.  Returning from the service he was united in marriage to Marie Rollinger on November 9, 1957, in Garryowen, Iowa. The couple began their family in Cascade  where he built the house they lived in for the next 65 years before moving to Oaknoll Retirement Residence. Earl worked for John Deere Tractor Works in Dubuque for over thirty years, where he also served as the Chairman of the Shop Committee UAW, Local 94 for a period. Earl was a member of Saint Matthias Church in Cascade, and a member American Legion 528 in Cascade. After retirement Earl was elected and served as a member of the Cascade City Council. Earl had many lifelong friends that he enjoyed the outdoors with, hunting, fishing, golfing, and wintering in Arizona. Earl also had a passion for genealogy and traced his family history back centuries to Germany and Luxembourg. But nothing was more important to him than his marriage to Marie and their family, she was his world!

His family include his wife, Marie of over 67 years; their children, Allen Wagner (Elizabeth), Carol Lorei (Ted Seiter), Jean Hoffman (Hugh), and Dennis Wagner (Leann); 11 grandchildren,  Rebecca Wagner, Hannah Wagner, Alison Hedgepath (Alex), Emily Eitzen( Zach), Madelyn Lorei, Lauren Poelter (Matt), Jaclyn Craig (Jacob), Heidi Hoffman, Alexander Wagner, Mallory Wagner and Abigail Wagner, great-grandchildren, Annabelle Craig,  Cora Craig,  Josephine Craig; Brother Jim Wagner (Karin); and brother-in-law, Wayne Frank.

Earl was preceded in death by his parents, grandson, Alexander Wagner; brother Michael Wagner (Sandy), brother Robert Wagner and his sister Joan Frank.

Earl’s family cannot express with enough gratitude and love for the compassionate and gentle care all of the Oaknoll Staff has provided not only Earl, but Marie and our family the last 18 months allowing Mom and Dad to be together to  his last day, thank you!