Irene (Richardson) Wagner

Rebecca Irene Richardson Wagner
January 11, 1928 to November 17, 2019

Rebecca Irene Richardson Wagner went quietly home to be with her Lord on November 17, 2019. Irene was born January 11, 1928 to Mabel Estep and Ross Emmett Richardson in the Whitehead community of Alleghany County.

After attending Mars Hill College, Irene was the assistant to Edwin Duncan Sr., president of Northwestern Bank. She married Foster Allen Wagoner of Warren county and returned to Whitehead to raise their sons, Dwayne Allen and Thomas Ross.

Irene served as the Alleghany County Tax Administrator until her retirement in 1993. In that capacity, she directed the transition of all tax records on paper to being fully computerized. She ran the department with three employees and maintained tax collections in the high 90 percentile consistently. After retirement, she became one of the County's leading Avon Ladies sharing this opportunity with many ladies in the County.

Her's was a life of love and dedication to family, church and community. Irene served as the pianist at Liberty Baptist Church until well into her 80's. She was active in The Alleghany Baptist Association until it was dissolved. She was a trustee for the Whitehead Liberty Cemetery. She was also one of the long serving members of the Whitehead Community Club, helping to maintain the old two room school house she attended as a girl. Irene was a Charter Member of the Alleghany Historical and Genealogical Society, working tirelessly for the establishment of a museum. A dream she kept alive for 40 years was realized when the Alleghany Historical Museum purchased their permanent home on Main Street in Sparta this year.

Irene R. Wagner was preceded in death by her loving husband, Foster Allen Wagner; one brother Ross Dean Richardson and one sister Alda Richardson Hayhurst. She is survived by two sisters; Carol R. Sellers and husband Burtis of Wendell, NC, and Wilma R. Foster of Whitehead. Her sons also survive; Thomas Ross of the home and Dwayne Allen and wife Robin Blevins Wagner of Whitehead. Four grandchildren and their families also survive. They include Brandi Lee Boaz, husband Jamie and their two girls Molly and Madelyn of Yanceyville, NC: Toni Lynette Williams, husband Shane Williams and their daughter Lila of Sparta: Charles Milligan, wife Becca and daughter Layla of Sugar Grove, Va. and Aaron Milligan and Amber Cottle of Gallatin, Tn. Several nieces and nephews also survive. Special friends include Patsy and Bennie Love of Whitehead and Karen and Bob Atwood of Sparta.

Funeral Services to honor the life of Irene will be held at 2:00 pm on Wednesday, November 20th, 2019 at Liberty Baptist Church in the Whitehead Community of Sparta with the Brother Ralph Smith officiating. Interment will follow in the church cemetery. The family will receive friends one hour prior to the service at the church.

Flowers are appreciated or in lieu of food, memorials may be made to Liberty Baptist Church Cemetery Fund, c/o Ross Wagner 5839 Pine Swamp Road, Sparta, NC 28675.

Eric Thomas Funeral Service Licensee, LLC is honored to be serving the Wagner family. If you wish, online condolences may be extended to the family at www.ericthomasfsl.com.

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