TOWANDA — Ethelyn E. Wager, 99, of Towanda, passed away at 1:50 p.m. Monday (May 13, 2019) at McLean County Nursing Home, Normal, surrounded by her loving family.
A private family graveside service will be held at East Lawn Memorial Gardens Cemetery, Bloomington. A memorial service will be at 11 a.m. Saturday at Christ Lutheran Church, Normal, with Pastor Jonathan Huehn and Pastor Timothy Fitzner officiating. Kibler-Brady-Ruestman Memorial Home, Bloomington, is assisting the family with arrangements. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be directed to Christ Lutheran Church in Normal.
Ethelyn was born Dec. 31, 1919, in Easton, Kan., to Christian and Lillian Mueller Meints. She married Ray H. Wager on Dec. 31, 1940, in Lawrence, Kan. He preceded her in death on Feb. 1, 1988.
She is survived by a son, Dennis (Barb) Wager, Towanda; daughter, Gayle (Que) Chang, Canada; daughter-in-law, Jeanie Wager, Towanda; brother, Richard Meints, and sister, Shirley (Stanley) Hand, both of Tonganoxie, Kan.; grandchildren, Lynn (Dave) Remmert, Chari (Del) Voss, Christy (Jeff) Malinowski, Wendy (Brian) Trotter, Kate (Matt) Stolz, Betsy (Matt) Bradford, Jake (Stefanie) Wager, Cary (Desiree) Chang and Marlise Meilan. Ethelyn is also survived by 17 great-grandchildren and four great-great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by a son, Donald; two sisters; and one brother.
Ethelyn was employed as a beautician in Kansas and later after she and her husband, Ray, relocated to Illinois, she worked as a seamstress at Pines ladies wear and Moberly & Klenner menswear in Bloomington. She later was the bookkeeper for her and Ray's company, Wager Transfer.
She was a member of Christ Lutheran Church in Normal since 1955, and was active in the Ladies Guild. She was a 4-H leader in Kansas, a Girl Scout leader in Towanda and a member of Towanda Home and Community Education. Ethelyn enjoyed playing bridge and crafting, but she especially enjoyed spending time with her many grandchildren.
Ethelyn is no longer bound by the confines of her wheelchair. She is free to walk, run, dance and sing in ways she has not been able to in years.
Condolences and memories of Ethelyn may be shared with the family at kiblerbradyruestman.com.