Paul W. Wagner

Paul W. Wagner, 96, of Groton and formerly of Roslyn died Friday, January 20, 2012 surrounded by his family at Avera St. Lukes Hospital in Aberdeen. His funeral will be 11:00 A.M. Wednesday, January 25, 2012 at Roslyn Lutheran Church in Roslyn. Janet Johnson will officiate with burial to follow at the church cemetery. Visitation will be Tuesday, 5 to 8 P.M. with a 7 P.M. prayer service at Fiksdal Funeral Service. Paul William Wagner was born on Friday, December 10, 1915 to Paul and Laura (Schmidt) Wagner at Steele, North Dakota. He was baptized into the Lutheran faith and was confirmed at Langford Lutheran Church in Langford, South Dakota. Throughout his childhood he attended various country grade schools in the rural Groton, South Dakota area. After completing his education he traveled to numerous states working as a hired farmhand. In 1940 he obtained his auctioneering certification and began his own auctioneering business which he ran for the next 50 years. In 1941, Paul was working in San Francisco, California when WWII began and then took a job with the United States government doing construction work in Maui, Hawaii. On September 24, 1943, he married Vanda Christensen at Clarks Grove, Minnesota. To this union six children were born. The couple made their home and farmed in the Andover, South Dakota area until 1952 when they moved to a farm northwest of Roslyn, South Dakota. Pauls great passion for farming was his motivation to start his own farming operation. Vanda passed away on December 23, 1985. In addition to farming, Paul was dedicated to being active in many organizations. He was a member of Roslyn Lutheran Church and served on the church council for many years. He was also on the board of directors for Lake Region Electric Association, Security Bank, and Soil Conservation Service. He was granted Friend of 4-H award for his volunteer auctioneering services and also received the meritorious service award from the Day County Crop Improvement Association. In 1987, he married Jackie Sippel and the couple made their home on the family farm near Roslyn. Paul loved traveling in his motor home and the couple spent several years wintering in Texas. He continued to be actively involved in farming until moving to Groton in 2007. He enjoyed playing cards (especially solitaire), playing pool, current events, watching his grandchildrens sporting events, but most of all enjoyed spending time with his family. He is survived by his wife Jackie of Groton, SD, four children; Cheryl (Jay) Dwight of Langford, SD, Bill (Mary) Wagner of Roslyn, SD, Marilyn (Jim) Vietor of Pierre, SD, and Terry (Patty) Wagner of Roslyn, SD, two step-sons, David Sippel and Dana (Aimee) Sippel both of Pierpont, SD, one brother Carroll (Billie) Wagner of Groton, SD, 11 grandchildren, eight step-grandchildren, 16 great-grandchildren, and three step-great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents, his wife Vanda, two sons, Loren and Allen, one grandson Michael Vietor, five brothers and three sisters.