Katherine Staffan Wagner was born in Chelsea, Michigan on September 17, 1915 and died August 23, 2020. Her father was the owner and mortician of the Staffan Funeral Home. She enjoyed outdoors activities with her two brothers, George and Frank, and was the captain of the Chelsea High School girls’ basketball team.
In 1937, Kate married Fredrick J. Wagner who was from Dexter, Michigan and served in the Navy during World War II. They had three children, Fredrick (Fritz) Wagner, who resides in Seattle, Washington with his wife Margaret, Stephanie (Sis) Wagner Kanten (deceased), and John P. Wagner of the Phoenix, Arizona metro area. She is survived by her three grandchildren, Kellie, Melanie, and Ryan; four great-grandchildren, Bria, Kaya, Aydin, and Ada; and her niece, Kandie Kay Waggoner. She had a special relationship with each of her dogs (Puddles, Peppie Lamoko, Buffy, Daisy, and Willow).
Kate and her husband owned and operated the Dexter Cider Mill for years. Kate loved to read. Her Aunt Katie donated the house that became the Chelsea Library, and Kate served on the library board for many years. Kate was an active bridge player in the community and hosted numerous afternoon card parties. A favorite activity was watching TV—especially the Detroit Tigers and westerns (John Wayne was her favorite). Her trips to Florida started with accompanying her mother and continued with her husband, family, and friends.
Kate was adventuresome and in her eighties she went for a hot air balloon ride with Pat Merkel, as well as white water rafting in Virginia. She enjoyed living at Crooked Lake and purchased a float boat—which is still in operation. Kate would organize family and friends to make breakfast on the boat and she would bring the coffee. In fact, she took a ride on her boat a few days before her 103rd birthday.
Kate spent the last few years of her life with the Silver Maples community. Her driver and companion, Irene, would take her to breakfast at Big Boy where she would greet the servers and ask others to join her for breakfast. Neighbors, friends, and her family will remember the bracelets that jangled on her wrist and eating her sugar cookies. She will be missed.
Services are private. Expressions of sympathy may be made to the Chelsea Library or the Chelsea Area Historical Society. Arrangements by Staffan-Mitchell Funeral Home, Chelsea.
