Virgil D. Wagner

Funeral Service for Virgil D. Wagner will be held on Tuesday, February 18, 2020, at 10:30 a.m. at Nelson-Bauer Funeral Home in Holdrege, Nebraska with Pastor Mike Szekely officiating. Interment will follow at the Oxford Cemetery at Oxford, Nebraska with Military Honors provided by the Oxford American Legion Post #219 in conjunction with the United States Marine Corps Funeral Honors Team.

Virgil Dale Wagner, 93 years of age, of Kearney, Nebraska, passed away on Sunday, February 9, 2020, at the Central Nebraska Veterans Home in Kearney. Virgil was born on March 17, 1926, in Glen Elder, Kansas, the youngest of five children to William and Eva (Coe) Wagner. He attended schools in Kansas before moving to Nebraska with his parents, where he attended the Buffalo Rural School and then graduated from Oxford High School with the class of 1943.

He was inducted into the U.S Marine Corps on October 18, 1943, and served in the Asiatic-Pacific Theater Campaigns during World War II until his honorable discharge on April 1, 1946.

On September 1, 1947, he was united in marriage to Betty Jean Quinn in Oxford, and to this union one daughter, Nancy Jean was born. The family made their home in Holdrege.

Virgil was employed by the Nebraska Department of Roads as a Highway Construction Engineer and later as a District Engineer. On December 14, 1957, he obtained his Professional Engineer License. He retired from the State of Nebraska after 39 years of service.

He was a member of the American Legion, the Eagles Club, and the Elks Lodge. Virgil was always on the road following his grandsons as they played sports from the time they were little through their high school careers.

Virgil was an avid fisherman and was known to be out pheasant hunting with his Germain Shorthair dogs. He enjoyed his time bowling and you could occasionally see him indulge in a cigar.

Besides his parents, Virgil was preceded in death by: his wife, Betty Wagner on December 25, 1984; father-in-law and mother-in-law: Ed and Rozella Quinn; three brothers: Harold Wagner in infancy; Melvin Wagner; and Kenneth Wagner and his wife, Florence; and his sister, Fern Miller and her husband, Melvin.

He leaves to celebrate his life; his daughter, Nancy Schukar and her husband, Larry of Loomis, Nebraska; four grandsons: Brian Schukar and his wife, Jill of Omaha, Nebraska; Scott Schukar and his wife, Kim of Loomis, Nebraska; Matt Schukar and his wife, Brittany of Monroe, Michigan; and Mark Schukar and his wife, Breanna of Overland Park, Kansas; eleven great-grandchildren: Eliza, Vivian, Riley, and Mayme Schukar; Jace, Jaron, Asher, and Ansley Schukar; Lovey Rose Schukar; and Audrey and Chloe Schukar; along with extended family and many friends.

Visitation will be held on Monday, February 17, 2020, from 4:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. with the family greeting friends from 6:00 p.m. – 7:30 p.m. at the Nelson-Bauer Funeral Home in Holdrege.

A memorial has been established in Virgil's honor, and kindly suggested to the family for later designation.

Expressions of caring and kindness can be sent to the family at www.nelsonbauerfh.com .

The Nelson-Bauer Funeral Home in Holdrege is in charge of the arrangements.