Michael J. "Mike" Wagner

GREENFIELD - Michael J. "Mike" Wagner, 49, of rural Greenfield, loving husband, father, son, brother, uncle and friend to many, died Sunday, Aug. 5, 2007, in rural Greenfield.

He was born April 17, 1958, in Jacksonville. He married Cheri Roth in April 1976. He later married Amanda L. Cochran on Sept. 23, 2000, at Rockbridge United Methodist Church.

Surviving are two daughters, Lisa Wagner of Jerseyville and Anna Wagner of Quincy; a son, Todd of Jerseyville; and two stepdaughters, Morgan and Madison Coates at home. Also surviving are his parents, Warren "Wag" Wagner (spouse, Barb) of Rockbridge and Nancy Dalton (spouse, Cliff) Dawson, also of Rockbridge; a sister, Deb (spouse, Terry) Settles of Greenfield; and a brother, Douglas Wagner of Rockbridge. He also is survived by his parents-in-law, Leon and Becky Hopper Cochran.

He was preceded in death by his paternal grandparents, Frank and Elta Tendick Wagner; maternal grandparents, Orville E. and Maureen Macnamara Dalton; and a beloved great-uncle, Harold "Unc" Tendick.

Mike was a stellar athlete for Greenfield High School in football and basketball, where he earned all conference and MVP honors, and track, where he qualified for the 880 relay at state. He scored more than 1,000 career points in basketball and was a running back on the MSM Conference championship team and the first team to make the state playoffs. He graduated from Greenfield High School in 1976 and attended Illinois College.

He continued his love of Greenfield sports by becoming a member of the Greenfield Athletic Club, where he served as president. He played on several local men's softball teams and coached many boys and girls youth league teams, where he also served as commissioner from 1986 to 1990. He was a member of the football chain crew and a football statistician. He was a member of the Woodbine Country Club Board of Directors and served as league secretary for several years. He was the secretary for the annual Ozark golf trip. He become a basketball official in 1977, and has held offices in the Midwestern Officials Association. He was a past member of the After Prom Committee and helped to organize several fundraisers. He was a member of Bowman's Legion. He was a member of the Greenfield Tiger Backer Board for many years, serving as president for most of them. He helped organize the Tiger Backer Golf Tournament for the past 10 years and spent countless hours cooking before football games. He served as vice president of the Greenfield Football Quarterback Club and helped organize its golf tournament for the past two years.

He was co-owner with his brother of Wagner Seed and Supply in Rockbridge. He was an avid St. Louis Cardinals fan and sent many people to Busch stadium on the company's season tickets.

Visitation will be from 2 to 8 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 8, 2007, at First Baptist Church, north of Greenfield, where funeral services will be at 10:30 a.m. Thursday, Aug. 9, 2007. Burial will follow in Oak Wood Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, memorials are requested to go to the Greenfield Tiger Backers.

Shields Memorial Home is in charge of arrangements.