Obit: Wagner, Sister Margaret (1931 - 2018)

Transcriber: Robert Lipprandt
bob@wiclarkcountyhistory.org 

Surnames: Baeseman, Gohdes, McWaters, Tess, Wagner, Zweck

----Source: The Record - Review (Abbotsford, WI) 11/10/2018

Wagner, Sister Margaret “Jacinta” (18 JAN 1931 - 6 NOV 2018)

Sister Margaret “Jacinta” Wagner, Franciscan Sister of Perpetual Adoration, 87 years old, died on Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2018, at Villa St. Joseph, La Crosse. She was in her sixty-seventh year of religious profession.

Margaret Frances Wagner was born to George and Margaret (Fischer) Wagner on Jan. 18, 1931, in Edgar. She made her first profession of vows as a Franciscan Sister of Perpetual Adoration on Aug. 12, 1951, as Sister Jacinta. (She later went back to her baptismal name.)

With a bachelor of science in elementary education from Viterbo College (University) and a master of science in education with a concentration in school administration, Sister Margaret served as a teacher and principal for 27 years in Ashland, Superior, Wausau, La Crosse, and Milford and Muscatine, Iowa. She worked in the St. Rose Business Office for a year before earning an MBA from Notre Dame University. With a year as assistant treasurer, Sister Margaret assumed the position of FSPA Congregational Treasurer. She held this position from 1983-1992. After a sabbatical year studying at Catholic Theological Union in Chicago, Sister Margaret became Vice-President of Student Life at Viterbo College from 1993 to 1996. In 1996 she became responsible for food service at Marywood Franciscan Spirituality Center and FSPA regional home in Arbor Vitae. In 2000 she moved to Christine Center, Willard, to be on staff as housekeeper, groundskeeper, bookkeeper and coordinator of volunteers. Helping others was at the heart of each mission experience. Sister Margaret made St. Rose Convent her home in 2006, until September 2018, when her health failed and she moved to Villa St. Joseph.

Sister Margaret is survived by her religious community and her brothers, George (Valpariso, Fla.) and Daniel (Anoka, Minn.); her sisters, Eunice Tess (Edgar) and Dolores Gohdes (Madison); and forty-seven nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents and her brothers, Roman and Gerald; and her sisters, Germaine Zweck, Joan Baeseman and Marie McWaters.

Friends called after 4 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 11, when her body was brought to St. Rose Convent. A prayer service was held that evening at 6:30 p.m. in Mary of the Angels Chapel. A Mass of Christian burial was held on Monday, Nov. 12, at 10 a.m. in Mary of the Angels Chapel. Burial was in Gate of Heaven Cemetery.

Jandt-Fredrickson Funeral Home assisted with the arrangements.

Memorials may be sent to Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adoration, 912 Market Street, La Crosse, WI 54601-4782.