Margaret Rose Hefner Wagner

WAGNER - Margaret Rose Hefner, 55, of Durham, NC, formerly of Melville, died in North Carolina after courageously fighting an illness for over seven years. Marge was born in Portsmouth, Ohio July 3rd, 1953 to Rev. V. Richard Hefner and Dorothy Gockenbach Hefner. Marge is survived by her parents, loving and devoted husband Bill, sons Matthew, Evan, Jordan, and daughter Michal, daughters-in-law Melissa and Jenny. Marge was also blessed to have reached her goal of enjoying her first grandson, Tristan Jacob. In addition, she is survived by her brother John Hefner, sisters Silvia Finelli, Verla Ubert and Betsy Adams, their spouses and numerous nieces and nephews. Marge grew up in Maryland, where she graduated from Howard County High School and then attended Capital University. She married Bill and helped him at the Vernon C. Wagner Funeral Homes in Hicksville and Plainview. She and Bill raised four children and when they were all in school, she herself went back to school and graduated from Touro College in Huntington, NY, with a Masters Degree in Occupational Therapy. She worked at Brunswick Hospital in Amityville, NY for several years before the family moved to North Carolina. Marge worked as an Occupational Therapist in Apex, NC and then left the field to take a position as resident case manager at Learning Services, Inc. in Durham, where she worked with people with acquired brain injuries. Even after cancer diagnosis and treatments, Marge continued to serve her clients with zeal and got great enjoyment while doing so. Her "guys" were the inspiration that kept her going many times when wearied by her treatments. The last year and a half, Marge stayed home, baking cookies for Ronald McDonald House, exploring life and making the most of the time she and Bill shared. She continued to reach out to others and served as an inspiration to many. Her unconditional love for others is the basis for her legacy and for making the world a better place. A celebration of Marge's life was held on Wednesday August 27th at Mitchell Funeral Home in Raleigh, NC. She will be laid to rest in East Mercer Cemetery in Maine on Friday.