Debbie Wagner

1954 - 2023

Debbie Wagner

February 26, 1954 - October 7, 2023

Hilton Head Island,, South Carolina - Debbie Kelley Wagner

February 26, 1954-October 7, 2023

Debbie Kelley Wagner, 69, passed away in Charleston, SC after a relatively brief illness during which time she was constantly surrounded by her family and the caring community at MUSC hospital.

Born to James and Edna Kelley on February 26, 1954, Debbie grew up in Silver Spring, Maryland and attended Springbrook High School where she met the love of her life, Jim Wagner, at age 16. After graduating from University of Delaware, Debbie married Jim on July 31, 1976 and taught food service at a vocational center on the Eastern Shore of Maryland. With the birth of her children, she became a full-time mother and committed community volunteer at her children's schools and with her church communities in Annapolis, Maryland and Shaker Heights, Ohio. In addition to all her volunteering, she worked as a Christian Educator both at Woods Memorial Presbyterian Church in Severna Park, Maryland and at Forest Hill Church Presbyterian in Cleveland Heights, Ohio. In 2003, she moved with Jim to Atlanta, Georgia and became a devoted caretaker of the Emory University community in her position as the President's spouse. She retired with Jim in 2016 to Hilton Head Island, South Carolina.

Among all her work and volunteering, Debbie was most passionate about her vocation as a loving partner to Jim, a mother to Kimberly and Christine, and a grandmother to Claire. She loved her family fiercely and cared for them well, always hosting holidays, coordinating visits, planning vacations, and being ever-present for conversations about big and little things. Nothing brought her more delight than having her family all together. She also loved traveling with Jim, whether taking big trips to such places as the Galapagos Islands, Costa Rica, Africa, or to visit the Dalai Lama in India or more basic travels like camping at local state parks or going to Disney World. She showed her love through acts of service and by offering time and attention. Anyone lucky enough to encounter Debbie, whether friends, neighbors, family, or even Jim's graduate students, always left well-fed and well-loved.

This passion, care, and service extended well beyond her family and friends to her broader community. Whether raising money for a computer lab for her children's elementary school, running Vacation Bible school, or serving as the Parent Teacher Organization President, Debbie shared her gifts for hosting, organizing, and advocacy throughout her life. In recent years, she lived even more fully into her passion for social justice and creation care. She was deeply affected by the plight of others-both human and non-human neighbors. She became involved in leading Creation Care efforts at First Presbyterian Church of Hilton Head and was involved in the Turtle Trackers organization on the island. In addition, she was a founding member of the Social Witness Ministry at First Presbyterian, and out of that group grew involved in local projects around food insecurity and homelessness.

She was preceded in death by her parents, James and Edna Kelley. Debbie is survived by her husband Jim Wagner, daughters Kimberly Wagner and Christine Dayton (Scott), granddaughter Claire Dayton, and sister Kathy Phillips (Randy).

Those who knew and loved Debbie give thanks to God for her vibrancy, laughter, care, energy, and ongoing witness to God's love and grace.

A memorial service will be held on Saturday, October 28 at 2:30pm at First Presbyterian Church Hilton Head Island (540 William Hilton Parkway, Hilton Head Island, SC), followed by a reception.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests any memorial gifts be made to either the Hilton Head Island Turtle Trackers organization (https://www.turtletrackershhi.org) or Circles HHI, a part of the Deepwell Project that provides care for neighbors in need (https://www.deepwellproject.org), or the Social Witness Ministry at First Presbyterian Church Hilton Head Island (https://www.fpchhi.org/giving).