Marvin Wagner

A born fisherman, Marvin Wagner, 92, passed away peacefully surrounded by his family on January 12, 2025. Born in Sioux City, Iowa March 24, 1932, Marvin was the youngest child of Lial and Vina (Self) Wagner. He grew up on a farm near Salix, Iowa and graduated from Salix High School. He married his high school sweetheart, Beverly Mercer, on November 2, 1951.

He worked at packing plants in Sioux City before purchasing a farm near Sloan. Marvin and Bev had seven children and needing more space so they purchased the school house in Luton. There they raised their kids and entertained family and friends for several years.

Marvin enjoyed sports - Green Bay Packers, Boston Celtics and the St. Louis Cardinals were his favorite teams. He was an avid golfer and fisherman. His kids have great memories of hunting, trapping, fishing, boating and camping with their dad.

Marvin and Bev moved to California in 1979. He worked for Boeing and was an inspector for the space shuttles. He saw the second landing of the space shuttle at Edwards Air Force Base.

Aside from every small pond and river in northwest Iowa, he also deep-sea fished in the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans and the Sea of Cortez in Mexico. Did we mention he liked to fish?

Marvin and Bev traveled extensively throughout Mexico and the western United States.

After retiring, they moved to Ridgecrest, CA where he spent time mining for gold. They spent their summers in Iowa with their children and grandkids.

They moved back to Sioux City to be near the kids in 2012. His oldest son and grandson spent many nights in a boat fishing on the river. We said he liked to fish.

He was very proud of his 91 descendants. He is survived by his wife of 73 years, Beverly, children Jeff (Lisa) of Sioux City, Becky Kellen of LeMars, Rory of Sioux City, Monte (Cindy) of Wilmington ,NC, Kerry Wagner of Williamsburg, IA Syd (Doug) Engle of Sioux City, Daphne Lewis of Salt Lake City, UT and many grandchildren, great-grandchildren and two great-great grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by an infant daughter, Dulcie Angela, his parents, parents-in-law Glen and Arli Mercer, siblings Wallace (Paula) Wagner, Leland (Norma) Wagner, Dale Wagner, Dorothy( Pete) Racisz and Vina Reinders, grandson Robert Engle and son-in-law Allan Kellen.

Did we mention he liked to fish?

Visitation will be held on Friday, January 17, 2025, at 10:00 AM at Christy-Smith Funeral Homes, Morningside Chapel (1801 Morningside Ave.) with Funeral Service at 11:00 AM. His final resting place will be Sloan City Cemetery in Sloan, IA.