Ross W. Wagner, 77 passed away on March 31, 2023, at his home in WaKeeney, Kansas. He was born on September 7, 1945 in Hays, KS the son of William “Bill” and Elene (Moden) Wagner.
Ross lived his entire life in WaKeeney, graduating from Trego Community High School in 1963. He attended Fort Hays State University. He married Diane (Riedell) Weber on November 30, 1974, at the Bethlehem Lutheran Church, WaKeeney and to this union one daughter was born.
He served in the United States Army from January 1967 to January 1969. Ross worked for Flex King Inc. Quinter, KS as a welder. He then worked for the sand and gravel division of Siebert Sand Company, Ness City, Allied Inc. and APAC, Hays Division, Hays, KS.
Ross was quite an ornery child, from rolling a coin down the center isle of church to trapping critters before school and being sprayed by a skunk.
His passions were KU basketball, fly fishing, coaching girls’ softball, bird hunting, and breeding, training, and field trialing English Setter bird dogs. He enjoyed Kansas Jayhawk basketball. He would get a call from Lindsey during the game to which he would reply, “I’m watching the game” and hang up or call after the game to celebrate of complain.
Ross loved to fly fish the mountain streams of Colorado. As a child, his family spent summers in the Fraiser Valley at the Wagner cabin. That tradition continued with his family traveling every summer to Aunt Ethel’s cabin. Ross and son, Eric, would spend hours wandering through the mountains following the streams, coming back to the cabin to clean the fish, and cooking them on the fire pit. He passed the passion for fishing to his grandsons. Now his grandson is taking his daughter to fish those same streams.
Ross hunted at a young age with his Dad and Pop. He got his first English setter in the early 70’s and by the 80’s had a Champion. Ross hung up his field trialing hat for some time until he acquired his beloved dog, Floyd. Only the last few years did he get back into the field trial game. Floyd stated winning: the trials took them to Oklahoma, Missouri, Arkansas, Illinois, and throughout Kansas. Floyd now has offspring on the field trial circuit. Ross had a good time and met a lot of wonderful people traveling to those trials and also reconnected with old friends.
Ross is survived by his wife, Diane, of the home; daughter, Lindsey (Heath) Wagner of Maple Hill, KS; step-daughter, Talle (Danny) Dykema of Ellis; step-son, Eric Riedell of Hesperia, CA; and sister, Linda Steinle of Georgetown, TX. He has ten step-grandchildren and three step-great grandchildren.
Ross was preceded in death by his parents, William and Elene Wagner; father-in-law, William “Buck” Weber; and brother-in-law, David Steinle.
Graveside memorial services will be on Saturday, April 8, 2023, 1:30 p.m. at the WaKeeney City Cemetery.