Colman L Wagner

Colman Louis [Buzz] Wagner, age 88, a longtime resident of the Clark community, died on Thursday afternoon, August 28, 2008, at the VA Medical Center in Sioux Falls following a brief illness. Private family services will be held at the Furness Funeral Home in Clark. Pastor Donna Nickels will officiate and burial will follow in the Rose Hill Cemetery near Clark. Military rites will be conducted by the Smith-Cagley American Legion Post #60 of Clark. There will be no visitation. The Furness Funeral Home of Clark is in charge of arrangements. He was born on May 1, 1920 to Colman H. and Thekla Wagner on a farm near Roscoe, SD. He spent his childhood on a farm outside of Verdon, SD, graduated from Clark High School in 1938, and took aircraft engineering at SDSC in Brookings. He served in WWII from 1942-1945 in the Army Air Corps / U.S. Air Force and was stationed in the Central and South Americas and on the Galapagos Islands where he was an airplane mechanic. On his return from Service, he married Lloydine Foster on June 23, 1946 in the Clark Congregational Church. She passed away on June 15, 1989. They had two children, Cole Wagner of Clark and Teresa Green of Madison, SD. Buzz held Lifetime Memberships in the Experimental Aircraft Association, National Hunting Association, Good Sam Club, Masonic Temple and VFW. He held the position of President of the Isaak Walton Club, Clark Chamber of Commerce and International Aeronca Association and was chairman of the Clark Congregational Church. He was an avid photographer, inventor and Airstream traveler. Flying was a large part of Buzzs life and for 45 years he was the Clark Airport Manager & FBO. He owned and flew various types of aircraft including a Bonanza, Aeroncas, Cubs, Gullwing Stinson, Seabee, and float planes. Buzz was a worldwide authority on the Aeronca, champion, Bellanca series of aircraft. For 30 years he gave Aeronca airplane forums at the EAA convention in Oshkosh, WI and was the founder of the Aeronca Lovers Club and International Aeronca Association. He held AP and AI FAA mechanic and inspector ratings, held Federal pilots license for land aircraft and seaplanes. He operated Wagner Aerial Service where he built airplanes including a Spezio Tuholer, Baby Ace, Midget Mustang, Smith Mustang, Midget Mustang 2, Bandit 4 (own design) and Team Airbike. He rebuilt planes including an EAA biplane, Pitts Special and numerous Champs and Aeronca Chiefs, and manufactured and sold aircraft parts and STCs for several aircraft models. In his 60 years of operating Wagner Body Shop, Buzz designed and built a Roadster and Hummer and rebuilt 100s of cars and trucks. He enjoyed driving and exhibiting his vintage cars in area parades and car shows. In order for others to enjoy his collection of cars, motorcycles and trucks, Buzz opened the Wagner Classic Wheels museum in 2002 at Clark. We know that he would welcome you to visit his museum that his family plans to continue in his memory. Buzz was preceded in death by his wife, mother, father, sister Corinne Garabrant and brother - Richard. He will be greatly missed by a son, Cole of Clark, a daughter Teresa and Mick Green of Madison, granddaughter Christy and her family, the Clark Community, and his friends including his many fellow worldwide airplane friends. Email condolences to www.furnessfuneralhome.com