Giving, family-oriented, skilful, and always positive. These are just some of the words being used to describe the late Alfred Wagner.
Born on Jan. 22, 1933 in Castor, AB, Wagner moved to Bonnyville in Grade 8, and had lived in town ever since. His life was taken tragically on Oct. 16 at the age of 83.
Known by many in the area, the shock of Wagner's death has had a ripple effect throughout the community, and prompted an outpouring of support for the family.
“Everybody in this town is amazing. From businesses, to strangers, to friends, everybody's been wonderful,” the family of Alfred Wagner said during a sit down with the Nouvelle. “Every place we've gone in the community to work on the business part of what needs to be done, everybody is grieving with us, is so sad for us and is giving their sympathies and condolences. You can feel their heartfelt emotions in their words and that's been so very touching.”
Over his time in Bonnyville, Wagner was always known for coming to the rescue of his family, friends, and neighbours. Whether it was dropping everything to fix a neighbour's leaking faucet, or running down the street to stop a lawnmower catastrophe, many of his children's fond memories with him relate back to tagging along with their father as he was helping those that needed him.
Even putting in hours of labour, Wagner's generous nature shone through. He never charged for labour, only for parts that were needed.
“There's an old friend of his, he's farming, and (Alfred) would go out there and work for free just to keep him farming because he had a stroke. Alfred was always on call; he'd race out there and fix anything. This guy wouldn't be farming if it wasn't for (Alfred), because nobody else would fix anything of his because it was so old.”
While you would never know it from his cheerful and optimistic nature, life wasn't always easy for Wagner.
Losing his first wife just six years after marriage, he found himself raising two kids, who also predeceased him. Wagner remarried and had four children. After his new wife was diagnosed with long-term illness, he committed to caring for her for the past 47 years.
“He had a hard life. Like Job from the Bible, he was like Job, just struggle after struggle. He had a very difficult life but every time I saw him he was always smiling and happy,” Wagner's children said.
They continued, “It was tragedy after tragedy, but you would never know that to talk to him and meet with him. Every tragedy was like a challenge for him to keep moving.”
A man of many talents, the long time Bonnyville resident was always expanding his knowledge. With an extensive library collection of his own, his family recalled the first time they introduced him to the internet, or what Wagner exclaimed as “a catalogue to the world.” In addition to being the resident handyman on his block, he also enjoyed many artistic outlets including guitar, harmonica, and painting.
Affectionately known as “the lake grandpa” to his grandchildren from the city, Wagner had been passing along his talents to the younger of his nine grandkids, teaching them things like welding.
While his family knew the compassionate and well-liked man that Wagner was, they were astounded by just how many lives he had impacted.
“Alfred's a homebody guy. His family's very important to him, and we don't get to see the relationships he has in the community. Through this whole thing, getting condolences from even the librarian, the people at the bank we were dealing with knew him personally, and at the hospital he had relationships with the staff and other patients. So the loss was really felt in the community,” his family expressed.
Thankful for all the groups and individuals in Bonnyville who have expressed their sympathies, and helped to make this time easier for them, Wagner's family had one last request for local residents. That is to remember him for the remarkable man he was, and not the way he left this world.
“I don't want people to remember him from the tragedy. He was a good person. He was the type of person who always thought of other before himself. I want people to not allow that hatred, anger, and rage to poison their hearts. Move forward and remember what my dad stood for, that's to think of others before yourself. That's what I want people to remember, not the tragedy.”
