Ivan Duane Wagner

1935 - 2026

Ivan Duane Wagner, 90, passed from this life to the next on Friday, February 27, 2026, at Westminster Village in Muncie, Indiana. Ivan had a life-long love of nature, education, and civil and equal rights. This legacy lives on through his family and those whose lives he mentored.

Ivan was born on a Randolph County farm to Albert "Buck" and Helen Wagner. He met his future wife, Judith "Judy" Wagner, in first grade at Jefferson School near Deerfield, and continued in school with her through high school, where he was a basketball player and Judy a cheer leader. Their dating life began with Judy driving on early outings, having earned her license first.

Ivan and Judy attended college together, marrying partway through their studies. They lived in an apartment above the science building at Ball State University and continued helping with the family farm during the summers.

Ivan dedicated his professional life to public education. Early in his career, he held statewide leadership roles in education planning and evaluation with the Indiana Department of Public Instruction. He later joined Ball State University as a professor of Educational Administration and Supervision, where he mentored generations of school leaders, chaired graduate research and dissertations, and remained active in professional education through conferences and related work.

He earned his teaching degree, followed by a master's degree and doctorate in education, all from Ball State. Ivan was among the early pioneers of computer use in education planning, often recounting late nights in the basement of the Indiana Statehouse, waiting for punch-card systems to generate student class schedules for the coming year. He remained a lifelong learner throughout his career.

Ivan cherished quiet time with family and in nature. His treasured retreat was McGregor Bay in Ontario, where a rainstorm once led him to take shelter on a two-acre island that later became home to the family cabin. That original cabin was lost to a fire, and lovingly restored, reflecting Ivan's care for craftsmanship and preservation. There, he made friends from all over the world, and taught his children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren to fish, canoe, and develop a lifelong respect for the natural world and working with their hands, and to take proper breaks for cookies.

Ivan is survived by his children, Craig (Janissa) Wagner and Sheryl (Mathew) Thornton, grandchildren Whitney (Justin) Strange, Keaton (Abby) Wooden, Andrew (Rianne) Wagner and Stephanie (Thomas) Steele, and great grandchildren Colt, Beau, Judd and Zoey.

Celebration of life will be held at 1:00 PM Thursday, March 5th, 2026, at Walker Funeral home in Winchester, Indiana with Pastor Steve Conner officiating. Burial will follow at Fountain Park Cemetery. Friends and Family may gather and share from 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM on Thursday at the funeral home.

Walker Funeral Home in Winchester, Indiana is entrusted with the arrangements. Online condolences may be shared with the family at www.walkerswinchester.com. In lieu of flowers, think of Ivan when you enjoy your next cookie!