John Wagner

John Mark Wagner, aged 71, departed this life for his Heavenly home at 6:00 pm on October 26, 2023 at the Hanson Hospice Center in St. Joseph, Michigan. He was born in Detroit, Michigan to Friedrich and Esther Elsie Wagner and attended elementary and high school in Armada, Michigan. After graduating from Armada High School, he attended Bob Jones University in Greenville, South Carolina and graduated in 1974 with a Bachelor of Science degree, majoring in Biology. He was accepted into the Northwestern University Medical School Physical Therapy program in Chicago, Illinois and completed his studies in 1979. His area of expertise was in Pediatric Physical Therapy, and his first job, as such, was with Michael Reese Hospital, Chicago, IL.

He is survived by his wife, Karen Morse Wagner, whom he met at Bob Jones University in 1972, and married December 27, 1976. He is also survived by his five children: Elisabeth Anne (Chad) Thompson; Benjamin Morse (Christina) Wagner; Amelia Rose Wagner Gibson; Esther JoAnn (Mark) Buller; and Hans William Wagner; his eight grandchildren: Penelope and Maddox Gibson; James, Miles, and Clarke Thompson; Ivy and Lily Wagner; and Harald Stap (Wagner); his nine siblings: Frederick (Carol) Wagner; Rosemary (James) Wissman; William (Janine) Wagner; Sharon (Edward) Small; Joann (Kent) Prain; Charlotte Wagner; Robert (Sherry) Wagner; Paul (Kim) Wagner; and David (Catherine) Wagner. He is preceded in death by his parents, Friedrich and Esther Steinkraus Wagner.

John started working at the young age of 12, and never stopped until retiring at 69, having fulfilled his love for a lifelong career in physical therapy, specifically, working to enable children with disabilities to be mobile. After Michael Reese Hospital, he was hired as the head of the Physical Therapy Department in the Lancaster Hospital in Ohio. In 1989 he worked with his brother David Wagner for a privately-owned PT clinic in Marlette, MI; then a job opened up in the local Sanilac County schools for a Physical therapist. John also traveled the northern Thumb area, working for the Huron County ISD, among the school population, winning their Agency Child Care Advocacy Award in 2001. Called back to Ohio to assist Karen’s mother in 2002, he was able to work his dream job for 19 years: a school dedicated to children with disabilities- Forest Rose School, part of the Fairfield County Board of Developmental Disabilities. While serving there, he won the Distinguished Service Award in 2014.

John loved his family, and his grandchildren, best of all! He ran “Grandparent Camp” every summer after moving to SW Michigan in 2022. His other hobbies were singing sacred music, family tree research, gardening, and beach walking.

A memorial service will be held on November 3, 2023 at 4:00 pm, with visitation at 3:00 at the Starks Family Funeral Home Chapel, 2650 Niles Rd., St. Joseph, MI 49085. Caring cremation was performed, and interment will be at a later date in the Spring of 2024 at Betzer Cemetery on Pickerington Rd., Carroll, OH. The service will be recorded and the link uploaded to view on the Starks website. Memorial contributions may be made to Hope Bible Church - Buchanan, Green Castle Bible Church - Carroll, Ohio, Caring Circle Hospice, or Bob Jones University - Greensville, SC. Those wishing to share a memory of John online may do so at www.starks-menchinger.com.