Dorothy Oliene Wagner

Memorial Services and a celebration of her life will take place for Dorothy Oliene Wagner on April 27, 2013 at 10:00 am, at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic Church, Concordia, Kansas. Interment will follow immediately at Pleasant Hill Cemetery. Visitation will be on Friday, April 26, from 3:00 pm to 6:30 pm at Nutter Funeral Home. Recitation of the Rosary 6:30 pm.
Dorothy Oliene Wagner, age 83, died Tuesday May 17, 2011, at the Stanton Health Center, Stanton, Nebraska, following a lengthy illness with Alzheimer's Dementia.
Oliene was born on October 24, 1927 and was raised on a farm outside Aurora, Kansas. Her parents were L.O. and Mary Baltazor. She had one brother, George, and three sisters, Alberta, Marie and her twin sister Arlene. She loved the farm life. The family had a horse that carried all five children for rides. When her father went to work for the WPA during the Depression, the family moved to Concordia, Kansas. In Concordia, Oliene attended a parochial school where she loved singing Latin in the choir. Her love of song and music remained throughout her life. She also attended Beauty School in Omaha, Nebraska.
Oliene was introduced to her husband by a mutual friend in Concordia, Kansas and Ben and Oliene were married on May 4, 1946. While her husband built a career in the telephone industry, they lived in many different towns across Kansas and Nebraska. A devoted wife and mother, she raised six children: Susan, Oliene, Marcus, Michele, Doris, and Collette.
Oliene worked in a variety of occupations, including a nurse's aide, a bookkeeper, an inspector at Sherwood Medical, and as a bookkeeper and office manager for a dental office. In 1987 she formally retired to spend more time with her children and grandchildren and to indulge in her interests.
Her many interests involved her in volunteer work with the Relay for Life, the Altar Society of Our Lady of Perpetual Help, Brown Grand Concert Series, and the Hospital Auxiliary, in Concordia. Always a proud patriot, she was a member of the VFW and American Legion Auxiliary.
Oliene kept busy with many hobbies. She enjoyed birding (her favorite being the cardinal), working crossword puzzles, playing cards, embroidering, sewing, walking, reading history, family stories, and poetry. She collected bird dAC.cor, dolls, dishes, and figurines throughout her life. Her favorite football teams were the Nebraska Cornhuskers and the Kansas State Wildcats-not always in that order! Oliene was an accomplished gardener and shared her love and knowledge of flowers with many.
She recalled her favorite vacations being those to Hawaii and to Lake Louise, Canada. Oliene's favorite music included the Big Band sounds of the 1940's, show tunes and numerous spiritual hymns. Her faith was an essential part of her life and helping others through generous donations of time and money were her guiding principles.
Education was very important to Oliene and it was her wish that her body be donated to science for study at the University of Nebraska Medical Center. Donations to fund scholarships for Cloud County Community College students have been presented in her name to four deserving students. Oliene was a Progressive and forward-thinking woman of courage and varied interests.
Oliene was preceded in death by her parents, husband, siblings and a grandson.
Survivors include her children, Susan Schwartz and husband Ed, Oliene Weber and husband John, Marcus Wagner and wife Linda, Michelle Kinney and husband Michael, Doris Scheer and husband Tom, Collette Gillham and husband Chance, nine grandchildren, nine great grandchildren and numerous nieces and nephews.
Nutter Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
116 E 6th
Concordia, KS
Online condolences may be sent to nuttermortuary@yahoo.com