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Velma Marie "Blondie" Wagner, age 90 of Alexandria, SD died Monday, January 9, 2023 at Diamond Care Center in Bridgewater, SD. Mass of Christian Burial will be 10:30 AM Tuesday, January 17, 2023 at St. Mary of Mercy Catholic Church in Alexandria, SD with burial at St. Mary of Mercy Cemetery. Visitation will be from 5:00 PM to 6:30 PM Monday, January 16, 2023 at St. Mary of Mercy Catholic Church in Alexandria, SD with a prayer service beginning at 6:30 PM.

Velma "Blondie" Wagner, daughter of Karl and Marie (Gogolin) Sorenson, was born in Seneca, SD on May 3, 1932. She grew up in Alexandria and graduated from Alexandria High School in 1950. After her schooling, she worked at several cafes before working at Folsom's Grocery Store (this is where she got the name Blondie). She was a teacher's aide in schools at Farmer, Alexandria, and Millbrook and Oaklane Colonies from 1978 to 1995.

Blondie was united in marriage with Charles "Chuck" Wagner on February 14,1953 in Alexandria, SD. The couple lived in Alexandria for a short time and in 1956 moved to a farm northeast of Alexandria. The couple lived on the farm from 1956 to 2002. Blondie continued living there until moving to Alexandria in 2006 and remained there until April 2018. She then moved to Avera Brady and then in September of 2021 to Edgewood and in July of 2022 to Diamond Care Center.

She was a member of St. Mary of Mercy Catholic Church in Alexandria. She attended daily Mass as long as she was able and always kept Jesus as her primary focus. At the church she was active in Altar Society and Catholic Daughters, taught in the elementary faith formation, and started the Baby Shower for Jesus (donations to Catholic Family Services). Blondie was also a lifetime member of the American Legion Auxiliary for 70 years.

She enjoyed her children, her grandchildren, gardening, and canning. Blondie will be remembered for her homemade bread and her mending of clothes for her children. She loved traveling including memorable trips to the Holy Land in 2006 with her sister and brother-in-law and to Denmark where her father was born.

Grateful for having shared her life are her children Joanne (John) Osnes, Black Hawk, SD, Carol (Scott) Campbell, Watertown, SD, Daniel (Lynette) Wagner, Sioux Falls, SD, Leonard (Joni) Wagner, Pryor, OK, Steven (Donna) Wagner, Sioux Falls, SD, Kenny (Deb) Wagner, Mitchell, SD; 20 grandchildren; 32 great grandchildren; one sister, Carolen (Robert) Weeks, Columbia, TN; numerous nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Chuck, in 2002; a son, Greg, in 2006; her parents; four brothers, Melvin, Arthur, Kenneth and Glenn; two sisters, Ruth Lauer and Shirley Wagner Barker.

Blondie's family is grateful for the loving care that she received at Avera Brady, Edgewood in Mitchell, and Diamond Care in Bridgewater over the past 4½ years and from Avera Hospice in her final days.

In lieu of flowers, a memorial fund has been established in Blondie's name to place a veterans' statue in honor of the Blondie and Chuck Wagner Family, Gold Star Family of SSG Greg Wagner, at the Hanson County Court House