Funeral services for Rudolph J. Wagner, age 89 of McIntosh, will be held at 10:30am Saturday, April 28th at the First Baptist Church in McIntosh. Rev Dr Richard Mayforth will officiate with burial in the McIntosh Cemetery.


Special music will be provided by Corrine Arnold, organist and a quartet.


Serving as Active Pallbearers are Karla and Lee Aga, Jeff and Kent Baumberger, Tyler Percy, Larry Wagner Jr., and Junior Pallbearers, Brent, Derek, Kyle Aga, and Brody Baumberger.


In lieu of flowers, a memorial has been established.


Rudolph John "Rudy" Wagner was born September 16, 1917 at Glenham, SD, to Henry and Paulina (Herbolt) Wagner, German/ Russian immigrants. Rudy was the ninth of thirteen children, of which only one sister is surviving, Elsie McMichael of Thermopolis, WY. Rudy attended country grade school through grade 8. At age 13, after his parents had both passed away, he went to live with the Christ Vilhauer family near McIntosh. Rudy met Lucille Meyer at a pie social and married her on May 9, 1943. To this union were born 3 children, Sharon, Raymond and Verla.


Rudy and Lucille lived in California for a year where he worked hauling ice (this was before many had refrigerators). They moved back to McIntosh, residing 1 mile south of town and farmed with the Vilhauer family until the death of his wife in 1959. He moved into McIntosh and worked for the Corson County Highway Department until 1966. From 1966-1972 he worked as a janitor and bus driver for the McIntosh School District. In 1972 he moved to Anaheim, California and worked as a Security Guard for May Company. In 1975, he moved to Casper, Wyoming and worked as a janitor at Sears. In 1976, he returned to McIntosh and was the janitor at the jail and then the Corson County Courthouse until he retired.


One of his jobs as janitor of the school was to haul 2 loads of coal a day from White Butte to the school. In the blizzard of 1966, he helped the county plow snow to hay stacks for the ranchers in the area. Rudy was an avid high school basketball fan – not missing many home games. He always bought the first fair button to the County fair and was a big supporter. In 2003, Rudy was honored and received the Clyde Huber Outstanding Volunteer Award. He enjoyed coffee with his friends, playing whist and cribbage. He was proud of his children and their accomplishments and his happiest time was enjoying his grandchildren and great grandchildren.


Rudy moved to the Lemmon Assisted Living home in July 2003 and to the Sturgis Regional Senior Care Center in Sturgis in December of 2007. Rudy passed away there on April 23, 2007. He was 89 years old. His family will miss him.


Surviving family members include his 2 daughters and sons-in-law, Sharon and Rodney Baumberger, Sturgis, SD; Verla and Steve Percy, Peachtree City, GA; 1 son and daughter-in-law, Raymond and Jackie Wagner, Muldrow, OK; 7 grandchildren, Karla (Lee) Aga, Lakewood, CA; Jeff (Lisa) Baumberger, Billings, MT; Kent (Jodi) Baumberger, Timber Lake, SD; Larry Wagner, Casper, WY; Tyler Percy, Castine, NE; ;15 great grandchildren, Brent, Derek, and Kyle Aga, Lakewood, CO; Brody, Hayden, and Kalli Baumberger, Billings, MT; Pierce Baumberger, Timber Lake, SD; Alessis and Kristia Wagner, Casper, WY; 2 step-grand children, John and Debbie and their children and grandchildren; 1 sister, Elsie McMichael, Thermopolis, WY; 4 sisters-in-law; numerous nieces and nephews; his foster family, Zella Bullock and Esther Smith and families in California; Norma Brenner and family, McIntosh, SD; Mary Lou (Ruben) Brenner and family, Isabel, SD; Harvey (Beverly) Vilhauer and family, Baker, MT; Arlene (Jess) Pridgen and families, Casper, WY; Duane (Helen) Reidlinger and families, Piedmont, SD.


Rudy is preceded in death by his wife Lucille in 1959; a grandson Aaron Percy in 1992; his parents and 7 brothers, Albert, Gus, Harold, Adolph, Herbert, Reuben, Julius; 1 sister Lydia Mattis, and 3 young siblings.


Visitation will be Friday 1:00 to 7:00pm at the Evanson-Jensen Funeral Home in Lemmon and on Saturday one hour prior to services at the First Baptist Church in McIntosh.