Dick Wagner

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(Oct. 25, 1932 - Nov. 12, 2014)

Longtime Deaver resident Dick Wagner, 82, died peacefully on Nov. 12, 2014, at the North Big Horn Hospital.

He was born Oct. 25, 1932, in Lovell to John and MayBelle (Riffel) Wagner.

As a small boy, the family moved from Kane to Deaver, where Dick grew up with his three sisters, Peggy, Jeana and Judy. 

Dick graduated from Deaver High School in May 1951. Following his graduation, Dick joined the United States Army, serving in the Korean War and was honorably discharged in 1953.

On June 2, 1956, Dick married his high school sweetheart Karene Christensen in Billings. The couple was later blessed with four children.

For the first few years of the marriage, Dick worked at Winter Hardware in Billings. Feeling the call to come home, he moved back to Deaver when an opportunity arose to drive for the Trailways Bus Lines.

After a time, he was able to accomplish his dream of being a farmer. Dick farmed west of Deaver, where he was one of the first farmers to grow and ship sunflowers in the North Big Horn Basin. He also grew barley, hay, corn and sugar beets until his retirement in 2001.

Dick was known for his hardworking, get-it-done attitude. Anyone who had the pleasure of knowing Dick knew he wasted no time in getting things done quickly, whether it was getting all the fields plowed, filling up the last truck with beets, or hot rodding in his motorized wheelchair.

Dick was preceded in death by his parents John and MayBelle; two sisters Peggy and Jeana; and daughter Melody.

Dick is survived by his wife, Karene Wagner; his children Daren (Diane) of Powell, Robert (Coleen) of Deaver, Diki Davenport of Casper; sister, Judy (Henry) Phillips of Deaver; eight grandchildren; 16 great-grandchildren, and several nieces, nephews and cousins.

Funeral services were held at St. John’s Lutheran Church on Nov. 17, with burial following at Deaver-Frannie Cemetery.

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