Patricia M.M. Wagner

Patricia Mary Margaret (Winn) Wagner was born in Portland on April 30, 1928, to Frieda (Marge) Winn and H. Curtis Winn. Her siblings included Curtis, Thomas, Robert, Jacqueline, Richard, Geraldine, Nicole Winn, and half brother Robert Johnston. From an early age her siblings reported she something of an independent streak; “I’ll do it myself” remained her motto for the rest of her life.

She graduated from Woodstock Elementary School in Portland in 1942, and Franklin High School in 1946.

During her junior year she met Maury Wagner at a party then realized he might wish to know her better when he repeatedly asked to borrow paper in typing class – though he clearly had way more paper than he needed at the time. Their first date involved a ferris wheel ride at Jantzen Beach; he though it was great fun to wobble their car but she didn’t, and asked that he stop – which he did (quite unlike what her brothers would do, she reported later). While dating they thought nothing of dancing at Jantzen Beach Ballroom till last call on a Saturday night, then he’d pick her up at dawn Sunday for a full day of skiing at Timberline.

They married in Portland on Dec. 14, 1947 and honeymooned just south of Cannon Beach, in a nook that later became Arcadia State Park. They settled on S.E. Stephen St. where they started their family, which grew to include son Christopher and daughters Katherine and Laura.

Early in her marriage she worked for Oregon Department of Human Services, quit for a few years to raise her family, then in 1967 went to work for the Oregon Public Employee Retirement System. She started as a file clerk and retired nineteen years later as a senior administrator.

She and her family loved travel, enjoying crabbing in Yaquina Bay, water skiing Wallowa Lake, camping at Cape Lookout, hiking the Columbia Gorge, dirt bike riding outside Dufur, or picnicking just about anywhere.

Her personal interests included beachcombing, wildflowers, art – with a special fondness for the first wave of French Impressionists, reading, geology, travel, family gatherings, and English grammar.

She and Maury Wagner both took early retirement in 1986 to play, which involved road bike trips around the country, including one to Portland, Maine, as well as wintering every year near Why, Arizona, where they joined an avid community of fellow snowbirds from the Northwest and around the country.

An annual highlight was a family gathering near Cape Lookout every August, involving at least 36 spanning four generations, as well as monthly Cousins’ Luncheons, a tradition started in 1965.

She and Maury celebrated their 50th Anniversary with a well-attended bash at their house in 1997. After Maury passed in 1999 she found herself travelling by air more than motorcycle, visiting France (twice), Italy, Germany, Switzerland, Netherlands, England, Wales, and Ireland; Vancouver and Victoria, B.C.; Chicago, Detroit, New York City, Hyde Park, and Boston – as well as numerous quick jaunts to Timberline Lodge and especially her beloved Oregon Coast. Her last visits there were to Florence and Depoe Bay in March and to Seaside (including an Ecola Park picnic) as recently as this Memorial Day Weekend.

She is survived by son Christopher and daughter-in-law Barbara Wagner, grandchildren Kirk and Alisa Wagner, great-grandchild Alexis Baker; daughter Kathy Wagner and son-in-law Michael Hanberg; and daughter Laura Casey and son-in-law Pat Casey.