"Sending my thoughts and prayers to the family. Holly was a wonderful person. So glad I got to know both him and Kay. They were both great assets to the community."
In loving memory of
Frank Holly Wagner
April 11, 1921 - April 20, 2018
Frank Holly Wagner, 97, of Danville died Friday, April 20, 2018, at Great River Hospice House. He was born April 11, 1921, in Danville to Charlie and Blanche Sater Wagner. Holly was a graduate of Danville High School, Burlington Junior College, and Iowa Wesleyan College where he played basketball and met his future wife. On August 18, 1945 he married Kay Carlson at the Methodist Church in Mt. Union, Iowa.
Holly farmed near Danville for most of his adult life. Prior to farming, he was a teacher and coach at Corydon and Olds. He also worked at the Iowa Ordinance Plant and was a substitute mail carrier for 30 years. Holly served as councilman and mayor of Danville, was on the Des Moines County Conservation Board, a member of Danville United Methodist Church, Lambda Chi Alpha Fraternity, Long Creek Conservation Club, American Quarter Horse Association and National and Iowa Wildlife Federations. He was honored as 2002 Cooperator of the Year for outstanding conservation practices by the Des Moines County Soil and Water Conservation District. Holly and Kay were honored as Iowans of the Day at the 2005 Iowa State Fair. An avid sports fan, he especially enjoyed the Iowa Hawkeyes and St. Louis Cardinals.
Survivors include his children, Pam (Bob) Day of Carlisle, Mark Wagner of San Diego, and Jill (George) Bowers of Mesa, AZ; three grandchildren, Steve (Kathryn) Day of League City, TX, Marcia (Dan) Johnson of Waukesha, WI, and Jessica Bowers of Mesa, AZ; and three great- grandchildren, Emma Day of League City, and Alyssa and Luke Johnson of Waukesha. He was preceded in death by his parents, his sister Etta Heddens, and his beloved wife Kay of 70 years.
The funeral service for Mr. Wagner will be 11:00 AM, Wednesday at Elliott Chapel, New London with Pastor Dean Graber officiating. Visitation will begin at noon Tuesday at the chapel with the family present to greet friends from 5:00 - 7:00 PM.
Memorials have been established for Great River Hospice House and Danville Fire and Rescue.
Tributes
"Just want to say Holly and Kay were wonderful neighbors and I enjoyed my visits with them both, as they shared their memories and thoughts of the day with me and Sadie when we stopped in to check on them. Though Whit and I had not been in the neighbor hood until the later years they made us feel so welcome. He will be missed! Jan Whitaker"