Virginia Anne Wagner

Virginia Anne Wagner, age 91 of Roseville, MI passed away on September 3, 2024. Virginia is the beloved wife of the late Joseph Wagner. Beloved mother of Joanne (William) Gondert. Cherished grandmother of Franklin (Chrissy) Bays, Nicole (Scott) Smith, Megan Bays, Missy Wauneka, and Debra (Brian) Furmaniak. Treasured great grandmother of Hailey, Chloe, Micah, Lauren, Jeremiah, Marcus, Avery, Mason, and Luke. Virginia “Ginny” was born in Detroit, MI in 1932 to Frank and Mary Vigneux. At the age of 15 she entered religious life with the Sisters of St. Joseph of Nazareth. She went on to teach as Sr. Elizabeth Anne for a short time. Before taking final vows, her mother had passed away leading her back home to raise her younger siblings. She considered the SSJ community her extended family and continued love for her sisters all her life. After her friend submitted her name to a Catholic Singles magazine, a man from Brooklyn, New York started writing to her. After pen-palling for a short time, Joe Wagner traveled to Detroit to meet in person. They were married a short time later on Thanksgiving Day 1961. Although they wanted a houseful of children, they were only blessed with one daughter. They were extra blessed with a houseful of grandchildren. Virginia always stayed close to her religious life roots. She was a very active member of St. Angela’s in Roseville, directing catechism, participating in Christian Service, Worship Commision, Altar Guild, R.C.I.A leader, and Eucharistic Ministry. She embraced her role as Eucharistic Minister and served many masses. Many were blessed by her outreach with this ministry as she led Communion Services for 13 years at a local nursing home and brought weekly Eucharist to shut-in’s until 2013. Even as her dementia progressed she always maintained a prayerful life, remembering and praying until the week of her last breath. Virginia’s life blossomed when she became a grandmother and she finally had her houseful of children. Franklin (“Alex”), Nicole and Megan were her pride and joy. She shared her love for God, the library, and giving back to the community with them. Her grandchildren have fond memories of summers spent in Roseville with Grandma and Grandpa – memories of homemade iced tea, mac & cheese and tuna fish sandwiches, Shirley Temple movies, chasing down the ice cream truck, blowing bubbles in the backyard, drawing pictures and delivering them to patients in the nursing home, day trips to Frankenmuth, and attending the annual St. Angela Church festival. She is very loved and will be dearly missed. The family requests memorial contributions may be made to the Congregation of St. Joseph https://csjoseph.org/give-now/ or the Friends of the Roseville Public Library.

Virginia Anne Wagner

September 24, 1932 - September 3, 2024