Dorothy J. Wagner, 1928-2019

She was born Sept. 30, 1928, the daughter of the late Andrew and Martha Hovan Joseph.

She attended Holy Trinity Catholic School and was a 1946 graduate of Struthers High School. Living all her life on the North Side of Struthers, Dorothy was very proud of her Slovak/Struthers roots. She could still speak, pray, and loved singing in Slovak, especially Christmas carols. The whistling of the trains in downtown Struthers reminded her of where her dad worked and the many rides traveling the rails to visit family in Pennsylvania.

She was a member of Christ our Savior Parish, Holy Trinity Church. Dorothy was a very devoted Catholic. She was a very intricate part of the Holy Trinity family. She was president for many years of the Holy Trinity Infant Jesus of Prague Guild; her devotion was strong and she led the weekly Novenas even when it was just her alone. She prayed the Rosary daily and led it every day in May and October at the Lady of Fatima Shrine, rain or shine, until she could no more. She was active in the First Catholic Slovak Ladies Association Branch 156, where she held office for many years, attending quarterly meetings and conventions. Her Slovak cooking was unsurpassed — with every holiday at her home with a place at the table for anyone who needed one.

Dorothy kept Mickey’s strong support of the pirohy sales going. You could always find her at the end of the table spooning lekvar and pinching so neatly. She loved introducing “new pinchers” to the table and teaching them many Slovak customs. Next to her family, she loved bingo and trips to casinos, especially riding the Vegas strip on her scooter.

Dorothy will be remembered lovingly by her four children, three sons, Michael “Chip” (Anita) Wagner, Kenneth “Leo” (Phyllis) Wagner and Ronald (Kim) Wagner; and daughter, Karen (Frank) Kowalczyk. Dorothy was known as “Baba” to her seven grandchildren who will especially miss her, Kane (Ashley) Wagner, Kenny Wagner, Jenna (Erik) Jozefowski, Kristi (Scott) Poland, Kara Kowalczyk, Katelyn (Mike) Adams, and Jacob Kowalczyk; and her great-grandchildren, Tatjana Wagner, Dawson Wagner and Lily Poland. Dorothy also leaves her sister, Mary Lou (Pete, deceased) Kasper and many nieces and nephews from the Wagner and Kasper families who loved Aunt Dorothy and will always remember her smile.

Dorothy was a fantastic wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, sister, aunt, and friend.

In addition to her parents, Dorothy was preceded in death by her husband, Michael Wagner, whom she married on May 26, 1951 at Holy Trinity Church; he died on June 6, 1996. They were lifelong parishioners.

Visitation will be 5 to 7 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 14, 2019, at Kirila Funeral Home Inc., Struthers.

Funeral services will be 10:30 a.m. Friday, Nov. 15, 2019, at the Christ our Savior Parish, Holy Trinity Church, celebrated by the Rev. Bernard N. Gaeta, and co-celebrated by the Rev. Simon Mino.

A funeral procession will leave the funeral home at 10 a.m. for the church.

Burial will take place in the St. John Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to St. Jude Hospital and Grace Hospice.

Online condolences can be given at www.kirilafh.com.

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