John A. Wagner, 97, died Feb. 12, 2017, at Great Bend Health and Rehabilitation Center. Born Jan. 20, 1920, at Wichita, he was the son of John B. and Carrie Ann (Huggins) Wagner. On Dec. 20, 1944, he married Margie Giltner at Wichita. They later divorced. He then married Viola M. (Parker) Tobias on April 17, 1970, at Great Bend. A Great Bend resident since 1945, coming from Wichita, Mr. Wagner was a mechanic for Pickerell Drilling. He was an avid fisherman and loved to camp.
Mr. Wagner was a United States Army veteran serving in the Aleutian Islands during World War II. He was a member of Prince of Peace Parish at St. Patrick Catholic Church and Great Blenders Chorus for 13 years. He also attended Central Baptist Church.
Survivors include his wife, Viola M. Wagner of the home; three sons, Matthew T. Wagner of Axtell, Mark H. Wagner and his wife Alma of Axtell, and Rick A. Branson and his wife Khrista of Ashland; three daughters, Patricia Stallbaumer and her husband Galen of Topeka, Mary E. Krouse and her husband Butch of Bonner Springs, and Vicki A. Ellis of Wichita; one stepson, Gary Tobias and his wife Sonnie of Lampasas, Texas; three stepdaughters, Beverly Roberts and her husband Rob of Mesa, Ariz., Judy Burke of Grand Lake, Colo., and Debbie Potter and her husband Shane of Great Bend; 25 grandchildren; 16 great-grandchildren; 13 step-grandchildren; and 33 step-great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by one son, John M. Wagner; two daughters, Judith C. Thornton and Kathleen A. Smith; one stepdaughter, Shirley Spitzmiller; three brothers, Joseph D. Wagner, William T. Wagner and Howard R. Wagner; and two sisters, Gladys L. Reddick and Vera M. Coats.
Vigil service will be held at 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 15 at Bryant Funeral Home. Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Thursday at St. Patrick Catholic Church in Great Bend with Father Don Bedore celebrating. Burial will be in Hillcrest Memorial Park with military rites by Fort Riley Honor Guard. Friends may call from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Wednesday at the funeral home. Memorials have been established with Holy Family School Endowment, in care of the funeral home. Condolences may be sent and notice viewed at www.bryantfh.net.

Funeral arrangements provided by
Bryant Funeral Home*
1425 Patton Road
Great Bend, KS 67530
Great Bend (Kan.) Tribune, Feb. 14, 2017