Nancy Gail Wagner

Nancy Gail (Leithead) Wagner died peacefully on August 22 at the age of 89. She joins her husband of 53 years Paul Henry Wagner, who passed in 2010.

Nancy was the loving mother of Richard (Alice) Wagner of San Diego, CA and Gayle (Daniel) Barooshian of Chelmsford, MA; grandmother of Rachel, Austin, Shami, Adam and Sam; and great grandmother of Charlotte and Everett. She will be missed by her family, which also includes niece Caryn Merrill and nephew Jeff Leithead.

Nancy was born on February 8, 1936 in Pueblo, CO to Ross and Merna Leithead (nee Johnstone). She was their second of two children: her brother Jim was eight years her senior. She loved and admired him her whole life long, always remembering the bedtime stories he told her as a little girl, featuring characters like the Lone Ranger. In addition to her husband Paul, her parents and her brother, she is preceded in death by nephews Jimmy and David Leithead.

Nancy was a child of the Great Depression and WWII, and both events loomed large in her life. She grew to be a strong, fiercely independent woman. In the 1950s, she moved to Bartlesville, OK to begin her working life. She met Paul at a dance and they were married in 1957. Paul spent his career at Phillips Petroleum, and the couple moved between Oklahoma and Texas as the job demanded. Nancy held positions as a secretary, telephone operator, and also worked at a bank in Borger, TX where she was in charge of getting the town's first ATM installed. She had a passion for politics and women's rights, and she participated in and held a leadership role in the League of Women Voters for many years. She was also involved with and served as the president of the women's division of the Borger Chamber of Commerce. Her most important job was being a mother to her children.

In retirement, Nancy and Paul were avid travelers, driving their RV across the country to sightsee and visit family in California, Massachusetts, Florida and Oklahoma. When they weren't on the go, they loved to golf together; their home in Georgetown's Sun City overlooked the fifth green of one of the golf courses. In addition to golf, Nancy enjoyed reading and playing cards. She loved to participate in the social events held in Sun City and was a caring friend to many in the community. She never liked to say goodbye, she always said "see you later."

Nancy's life will be celebrated privately by those who were closest to her. Friends, family and anyone wishing to honor Nancy's memory is invited to donate to United Way.