Richard Mark Wagner

Richard Mark Wagner, age 59, a resident of Pass Christian, MS, passed away on August 26, 2013 after a year- long battle with cancer, which he fought until the very end with family and friends who loved him. Mark is preceded in death by his grandparents Richard and Alice Wagner and Charles and Mary Lou Wellborn and his uncle Barclay Wagner. Mark is survived by his loving wife of 30 years, Marguerite (Peggy) Rachal Wagner; son, Richard Myles Wagner (wife Melissa Russell), grandchild, Cameron Bradley-Wagner; son, Thomas (Tom) Sullivan Wagner; parents, Richard Morse and Madeline Wagner; sister, Carrie, kids Jessica, Bart, Allison; brother, Charles (Michelle), kids Hunter, Alex; and brother, John ( Suzanne Bily), kids Barclay, Olivia, Liam. Mark was born on May 8, 1954 in New Orleans, LA. He graduated De La Salle High School in 1972 and graduated from Louisiana State University with a degree in Accounting in 1976. He also obtained a Masters in Education from The University of Southern Mississippi 1995. After LSU, he worked for Mobile Oil Company and lived in New Orleans, Abita Springs, and Covington, LA. In 1993, he moved to Pass Christian and taught at Pass Christian Elementary School. He was also the Pass Christian Parks and Recreation Director, and responsible for the construction of three multi-use baseball fields which are currently in operation today. After teaching, he moved forward in what he loved and began building residential houses, starting his own business, RM Wagner Contracting, Inc. His contracting company played an integral part in helping numerous Gulf Coast residents revive their homes after Hurricane Katrina, in Pass Christian and Bay St. Louis. Of the 35 homes he built before Hurricane Katrina, only four homes located in Henderson Point were completely destroyed. Mark thoroughly enjoyed life, especially with his family, with fishing, camping, and sports as his true passions. His favorite time to fish was Father’s Day, which guaranteed that both sons and grandson would be fishing on an all-guys trip (just the fellas). As a long-time member of the Pass Christian Yacht Club, his devotion to fishing off the Yacht Club pier influenced its restoration long before it was taken by The Storm. As a true lover of the outdoors, he made annual summer (and sometimes winter) trips with his wife, family, and dog, Coco, to the Smokey Mountains of Tennessee, followed by a guy’s trip to Florida with his best friend Brian (again, just the fellas). Mark was a true LSU fan and devout member of the “Who Dat!” Nation. He always made an annual pilgrimage to Death Valley, and if you knew him, then yeah, he was one of “those” LSU fans, and very proud of it. Of course, the next day, he would find a Sunday spot on the couch in the Pass to watch the Saints, with joy or without. In other traditions, he marched in the St. Patrick’s Day parade in New Orleans, LA with his sons, green beer and crawfish boils aplenty, and was a member of the Krewe of Roux Mardi Gras crew in Pass Christian. Mark’s voice, and loud personality, will always be remembered. Whether you knew him or not, he always captured the attention of an audience, many times at the expense of his family, with stories and laughter. He was everything that a Grandfather, Father, Brother, Son, Uncle, husband, teacher, and employer could be. Mark will truly be missed, not only by family and friends, but by everyone whose lives he touched. Visitation will be held Friday, August 30, 2013 at 10:00 a.m. at Trinity Episcopal Church in Pass Christian, MS with the service to follow at 11:00 a.m. Interment will follow at Live Oak Cemetery, Pass Christian. Bradford-O’Keefe Funeral Home, 15th Street, Gulfport is in charge of arrangements. View and sign register book at www.bradfordokeefe.com