of Searcy, AR
March 16, 1933 - July 29, 2019
Walter was born in Mission, Texas to Katie Wagner and Walter Earl Wagner Sr. He was baptized as one of Jehovah's Witnesses on July 16, 1940 and was appointed to serve as a full time pioneer on February 1, 1951. When he was 20 years old he was invited in 1953 to serve at Bethel in Brooklyn New York. He was there for six years and served as a waiter in the cafeteria. He became quite skilled and worked secularly as a waiter for a time. He then caught his soon to be wife's eye. Not long after leaving Bethel he married Elsie Mae Walters from Searcy, Arkansas. They settled in Mountain Home, Arkansas where Walter became a skilled carpenter and began building houses. His sister Sylvia lived in Arkansas for a time and the families enjoyed time together. When work became slow he moved to Louisiana and lived next door to his sister Frances and her family. His baby sister Marilyn lived nearby. Although Walter and his younger brother Elden did not live near each other, he loved him very much and appreciated what a hard worker he was. When Elsie's father became sick they moved to Searcy, Arkansas in the early 1980s. Elsie and Walter were married for 44 years before her death in May of 2004.
After Elsie died Walter was very lonely. His younger sister introduced him to her dear friend Shirley. He fell in love with Shirley and they soon married. He loved her family dearly, which included children and grandchildren. Sadly, Shirley died in 2014.
Walter is survived by his sister Frances Nannell Wagner Hebert (Louis), brother Elden Lewis Wagner, sister Sylvia June Gabler, daughter Debbie Ramirez Songy (Kim), sons Michael and Bill Ramirez. He is also survived by many nieces, nephews, and grandchildren who all loved him dearly. He was preceded in death by his parents, Walter Earl Wagner Sr and Katie Ophelia Cox Wagner, his first wife Elsie Mae Walters Wagner, his second wife Shirley Ramirez Wagner, his son Benny Ramirez, his sister Marilyn Jean Wagner Songy, two brothers in law Wesley Songy and William Gabler, and his sister in law Betty Crosser Wagner.
He will be missed by his brothers and sisters in the Congregation of Jehovah's Witnesses. Walter died shortly after telling his family, "I tried, you try". He knew he would be in Jehovah's memory.