James Wager

1938 - 2025

James Wager

Born: Jul 3, 1938 | Died: Sep 14, 2025

Wager, James Bartlet – Jim, age 87, of Tellico Village in Loudon, Tennessee, died peacefully at his home on September 14, 2025. He was preceded in death by his wife of almost 50 years, Aggie Wager; parents, Flora and Martin Wager; and brother, Martin Wager. He is survived by his daughter Anita and husband Maurice Menocal of Nashville, Tennessee; son Bart (James, Jr.) and fiancé Tina Bauman of Lorton, Virginia; grandchildren Lana Wager of Richmond, Virginia, and Joseph and wife Anna Garcia-Menocal of Madison, Wisconsin; sister-in-law Junia Wager; brother-in-law Tom and wife Nancy Carson; and several nieces and nephews and their families.

Born in Flint, Michigan, Jim met Aggie at the University of Michigan where they were both undergraduates. After getting married in August 1960, they remained in Ann Arbor where Jim completed his MBA. Jim then began a long career working in various capacities in accounting and finance for U.S. Steel. His career took Jim and his family to locations from Chicago, Gary, Baytown TX, Pittsburgh, New York City, back to Pittsburgh and, ultimately, to Kosice, Slovakia. After retiring in 2001, Jim and Aggie moved to Tellico Village where they were active in service and community organizations.

No one can deny that Jim (aka "Cappy" and "Turbo Jim") lived life to the fullest. He was a consummate traveler, starting in college when he led tours through the Canadian Rockies and Europe. The travel bug never left as he and Aggie used Kosice as a launching pad to explore the world. Following Aggie's death, Jim became known among family members as the "international man of mystery" after he journeyed to Russia, China, Dubai, and Cuba in an 18-month period. Jim was the life of any party and always the best dressed -- down to his signature socks. Jim's was a life well lived; he will be remembered by all who knew him for his humor, kindness, generosity, and grace. He will be dearly missed.

If you would like to make a monetary donation in his memory, his favorite charities are Smoky Mountain Service Dogs (8380 Fairview Road, Lenior City, TN 37772 or https://www.smokymountainservicedogs.org/donations/ ) and the University of Tennessee College of Music Scholarship (https://giving.utk.edu/where-to-give/).

Click Funeral Home & Cremations - Tellico Village Chapel is serving the family of James B. Wager. www.clickfuneralhome.com