DOLORES "Dee" ELSIE (Zawalish) WAGNER

Dolores E Wagner, age 79, of Grandview, Missouri, went to be with the Lord on Friday, November 30, 2018 at St Luke's East Hospital surrounded by her loving family.

Dee was born on April 22, 1939 in Johnstown, Pennsylvania. She was the oldest child of Albert Zawalish Sr. and Rose Siciliano. Dee was blessed with three siblings, Alberta, Albert Jr. and John Zawalish and honorary sister Barbara Grey.

As a young girl Dee met the love of her life Norman "Norm" Wagner while in school in Johnstown, Pennsylvania.  While in high school Norm asked for Dee's hand in marriage and of course she said yes.  She said she knew that Norm would always take care of her and love her.  Norm served in the US Marine Corps and was stationed in Cherry Point, North Carolina and after having to postpone their June wedding he finally was able to sneak away to marry the love of his life on August 9, 1958. Thru Norms travels with the Marine Corps she saw the world.   Together they made their homes in Cherry Point, North Carolina, Atlanta, Georgia, Pearl City, Hawaii and making Grandview, Missouri their final home.

Their love for each other produced two caring and loving sons John Norman and David Ross.  Dee instilled in her sons a foundation of love for family and of the Lord.  Her daily prayer was for her sons to love and serve the Lord. Together they shared 60 years 3 months and 21 days as husband and wife.

As a born-again Christian, who gave her life to the Lord at Coronation of Our Lady during a charismatic prayer group in 1979. Dee dedicated her life to faithfully serving the Lord and being the epitome of how a Christian should live their life.

Her life calling was to be a wife, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother to the Wagner family.  Her laugh and the family stories she would tell would light the room. On one occasion she even bribed a police officer for not issuing a ticket with a Snickers candy bar. When asked by her granddaughter Jordan what she wanted to be remembered for her answer was, "I want to be remembered first as a Christian and second for loving my family". She made time for each member of the family, her son's John and David baseball games, to embracing and loving her daughter in laws Cindy and Rhonda, playing Statego with her grandson Jake and dress up with scarves with her granddaughters Sarah and Jordan and horses with Brittany. Mom could make everything a celebration from her lunch dates at her favorite restaurant Jack Stack to those birthday shopping trips and oh you had to model your clothes for her and Dad.

With her family she made Christmas a celebration. No one was ever felt unwelcome at her home and a gift of love from her was always given.  With a homemade Italian dinner with enough food to feed an army she never forgot a Christmas wish making all your dreams come true.

Dolores is preceded in death by her parents Albert Sr and Rose Zawalish and niece Brenda (Zawalish) Burrell.

She is survived by her loving husband Norman Wagner; two sons, John Wagner (Cindy) and David Wagner (Rhonda); sister Alberta Zawalish and two brother Albert Jr and John Zawalish; four grandchildren, Michael Jacob Wagner (Lyndsey), Sarah Gillispie (Sean), Brittany Wagner and Jordan Wagner; and five great grandchildren Kaylyn Gillispie, Joshua, Lana, Preston and Maverick Wagner, and countless nieces and nephews.

A Visitation Service will be held from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. on Wednesday, December 5, 2018 at Cullen Funeral Home 612 W Foxwood Dr. Raymore, Missouri 64083. A Coming Home Service will follow at 12:00 p.m. An Interment will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Thursday, December 6, 2018 at the Missouri Veterans Cemetery in Higginsville, Missouri.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be given to the Summit Assembly of God 1050 SE Century Dr., Lee's Summit, Missouri 64081.

Mom blessed and enriched every person that was fortunate enough to have known her.  She always put the needs of others before her own until the Lord called her home.

We will always love you Mom.

Arrangements: Cullen Funeral Home, Raymore, Missouri 816.322.5278