Herschel C. Wagner

Herschel Clayton Wagner, 91, died suddenly Friday, August 11, 2006, at Carroll Hospital Center in Westminster, Md. He was the husband of Julia LaRue Sullivan Wagner for 68 years. Born April 10, 1915, in Hampstead, Md., he was the son of the late Marshall Clayton and Georgia Virginia Rupp Wagner. In his early years he built and owned a Ladder Factory in Melrose, Md. He was also a Carroll County Deputy Sheriff and had been a Security Guard for Black & Decker. He was the first uniformed Police Officer in the Carroll County Sheriff's Department and served as Chief of Police for the town of Manchester, Md. His entire life was spent in police work. He was an insurance salesman, drove a school bus for the former Earl Smith, now Rohrbaugh's, Bus Service, and owned a Simplicity Lawn Mower dealership. He was in lawn mower sales and repair service and, up until his death, he sharpened blades and knives. Mr. Wagner was a member of the Lineboro-Manchester Lions Club where he was Lion of the Year at the age of 90. He was a life member of the Manchester Volunteer Fire Department and was a member of the Hanover Moose and Trinity United Church of Christ in Manchester, Md. In his early years he was a member of a band in which he played the banjo. In addition to his wife, he is survived by children, Arnold Eugene Wagner and wife, Delores Diane of Bel Air, Md., the Reverend Melvina Stricklin of Hampstead, Md., Douglas Richard Wagner and wife, Norma of Glen Rock, and Elwin Herschel Wagner and wife, Michele of Manchester, Md.; sister, Beulah Daugherty of Florida; 12 grandchildren; and 16 great-grandchildren. He was predeceased by a brother, James Wagner. Funeral services will be held at the Eckhardt Funeral Chapel, P.A., 3296 Charmil Drive, Manchester, Md., on Tuesday at 11 a.m. with the Rev. Loisann Furgess-Oler officiating. Interment will be in the New Lutheran Cemetery, Manchester, Md. The family will receive friends on Monday from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. at the funeral chapel with a Fire Department service at 8 p.m. If desire, donations may be made to Trinity United Church of Christ, P.O. Box 730, Manchester, MD 21102.