Mary J. Wagar

December 20, 1936 - June 8, 2022

Mary's funeral service is viewable at https://vimeo.com/720034511 The funeral service for Mary Wagar, 85, Valley City, ND, will be 11 am Monday, June 13, 2022 at First Baptist Church, Valley City. Visitation will be one hour before the service at the church. Burial will be in Memory Gardens, rural Valley City. Mary Jewel Benson was born December 20, 1936, at home near rural Malcom, Minnesota to Alfred and Sylvia (Jokela) Benson. She graduated from Goodridge High School in 1954. That same year Mary began working at Land-O-Lakes as a stenographer. On October 4, 1958, Mary was united in marriage to Willis Franklin Wagar in Valley City. In 1959 they moved to a farmstead near Grygla, Minnesota to farm and begin their family. In 1963 the Wagars moved back to Valley City. As the family grew, Willis and Mary took in foster children. Once the children were in school, Mary worked several different jobs: a nurses’ aide at the nursing home; cook at the high school lunchroom; planting for Benson nursery; a seasonal employee at the accounting firm of Ludvigson and Braun, and Fritch Gardens. During the 1980s she was also busy with all sorts of creative crafts and contributed to the opening of Homespun Charm. In 1988 Willis and Mary bought Fritch Gardens with their son James and his wife, Eydie. Mary became the general manager of Wagar Nursery, Inc. The business was sold in 2005. Mary enjoyed gardening and was a vendor at the local farmer’s market, where she sold her vegetables, baked goods, jams and jellies. She loved music and enjoyed singing and playing the piano and accordion. She was a quilt club member and enjoyed sewing and crafting. Mary was also a 4-H leader and a bowler. She liked to read, travel, and research the family’s genealogy. She was notorious in word games and enjoyed a good game of pinochle with family members. Mary went home to be with her Lord and Savior, Jesus, on June 8, 2022, at the St. Raphael Care Center. Mary is survived by her children Jacquelyn (Tom) Ueland, Ulen, MN; Joel (Faye) Wagar, Rochester, MN; James (Eydie) Wagar, Valley City, ND; Jennifer (Ewald) Horst, South Range, WI; Jon (Patty) Wagar, Valley City, ND; 28 grandchildren, and 29 great grandchildren. Mary is also survived by her siblings: John Benson, Grygla, MN; and Bonnie Benson, Valley City, ND. Mary was preceded in death by her husband, Willis; her parents, Alfred and Sylvia Benson, her brother, David Benson; and grandson, Christopher Wagar. Funeral arrangements have been entrusted to the care of the Oliver-Nathan Funeral Chapel, Valley City. An online guestbook is available at www.olivernathanchapel.com