Wagner, Karl Valentine

Karl Valentine Wagner, 88, of Cedar Rapids, died Monday, Feb. 7, 2011, at the Hiawatha Care Center. Funeral Mass: 10 a.m. Thursday, Feb. 10, at St. Wenceslaus Catholic Church, Cedar Rapids, by the Rev. Christopher Podhajsky. Visitation from 4 to 8 p.m. today at Stewart Baxter Funeral & Memorial Services, Cedar Rapids, with a rosary at 7 p.m. Burial: St. John's Cemetery, Cedar Rapids.

He is survived by his wife, Faye; five children, John (Karen) Wagner, Bill (Debbie) Wagner, Karla (Gary) Pawlicki, Gerard (Trudy) Wagner and Doug (Heather) Wagner; 10 grandchildren; four great-grandchildren; and sisters, Hilda, Agnes, Marjorie and Wilma.

Karl (also known as Rusty) was born March 22, 1922, on a farm near Eastman, Wis., the son of Henry Theodore and Delphina Elizabeth (DuCharme) Wagner. He was married on July 14, 1953, to Faye Germaine Meyers at St. Mark's Catholic Church in Edgewood, Iowa. Early in his adult life, Karl was a farm hand, a Roman Catholic brother in a Capuchin Monastery, and a ranch hand in Montana.

He became renowned as the bass player and singer for Leo Greco and His Pioneers. Karl was with Leo's Country and Western ballroom band for over 18 years. After retiring from the band, he went on to work as a lumberman at Heabel's Lumber Company and Loftus Construction.

Karl's Christian faith was of the utmost importance in his life and he was a servant of God in the truest sense. For years he both sung in and led a church choir and also led the congregation in singing hymns and reciting rosary from the lectern.

He cherished the love of his family and was a faithful friend and mentor to many.

Karl was preceded in death by his parents; a son, Klein Karl who died shortly after birth; sister, Marie; and brothers, John Aelred, Melvin, Harold and Willard.

In lieu of flowers, memorials will be used toward the memory garden at the Hiawatha Care Center.

A special thank you to the staff at the Hiawatha Care Center, Dr. Mary Anne Nelson, and the staff and volunteers at the parishes of St. Wenceslaus and St. Elizabeth Ann Seton for the compassionate care provided to Karl.

Please sign the online guest book and share a memory about Karl at .