Obituary of Richard A. Wagner

     Mr. Richard A. Wagner, 90, of Deerfield, New York passed away Wednesday December 06, 2023, at home with family by his side.

     Richard was born in Utica on August 21, 1933, the son of Henry and Marguerite (Mager) Wagner. On May 10, 1958, he married Roberta Ehlinger at St. Francis DeSales Church in Utica. Richard retired from Niagara Mohawk after 30+ years. He was a lifelong member of the Deerfield Fire Dept, and a member of the Fire Chiefs Association. He spent his retirement years with Roberta in Port Charlotte, Florida among many retired friends. When his father still had the camp on Lake Moraine, he enjoyed taking his boat out on the water. In later years he spent time on Piseco Lake and his son’s camp on Spruce Lake. Richard and Roberta were members of the Mohawk Valley Squares for years, dancing their way around the United States. He enjoyed tinkering in his workshop fixing anything that was broken. Mom called him “the man with the golden hands.”   

     Richard is survived by his sister Joan and predeceased by his other siblings, Jerome, Paul, Robert, and Barbara; he will now see them again. Richard is survived by his beloved wife, Roberta; three sons and one daughter: Timothy and his wife Sally of Raleigh, NC, Andrew and his wife Frances of Rome, NY, Bernard and his wife Barbara of Nashua NH, Rebecca and her husband Mike of Canton, GA. He is also survived by 10 grandchildren, and one great grandchild.

Visitation for family and friends is Monday, December 11, 2023 from 5:00-7:00 p.m. at the Heintz Funeral Home, 408 Herkimer Rd., N. utica followed by a funeral service at 7:00 p.m. at the conclusion of visitation. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Deerfield Fire Department at www.deerfieldfire.org or 5476 Trenton Rd., Utica, NY 13502, who were extremely helpful and kind numerous times.

     A special thank you to Hospice of Oneida County and all the personal healthcare workers who cared for Richard, without whom the family never could have provided the quality care he required.