Nellie Mae 'Bobbi' Wagoner, 85

On Monday, Feb. 3, 2014, Nellie Mae “Bobbi” Wagoner “went home to be with her Savior.”

She was born Dec. 24, 1928, in Big Timber to Lenoir L. and Nellie M. (Dryer) Buchanan.

The family moved to the Flathead in the early 1930s where Bobbi attended schools in Kalispell, graduating from Flathead County High School. She also attended Northwestern Bible School in Seattle.

Back home she met Joe Wagoner. They were married Dec. 2, 1951, making their home on a farm outside of Bigfork. They moved to Kalispell in 1967, and in 1970, opened Wagoner’s Sand and Gravel. Although Bobbi struggled with health issues all of her life, she was very active. She was a charter member of the Artists and Craftsmen of the Flathead, regularly attending shows to display her original oil paintings.

Romans 12:18 says, “If it is possible, as much as is in you, live peaceably with all men.” Bobbi believed and lived this. Spiritually and physically she gave water to the thirsty, food to the hungry, clothed the naked and gave shelter to the homeless, touching and changing lives for Jesus all her life. She was even raised from the dead on June 24, 2012, in Polson, yet death finally comes to us all.

“Only what is done for Christ will last.”

Bobbi was preceded in death by her parents; sisters and brothers-in-law, Mary and Earl Boyd, and Retta and Charlie Powell; daughter, Annette; grandchildren, Annie and Quin Wagoner; and great-granddaughter, Kayli Wagoner.

She is survived by her children, Terresa and Rud Knudsen, Fay and Gary Schmidt, Lyle and Becky Wagoner, and Steve and Nettie Wagoner; 20 grandchildren; and 15 great-grandchildren.

A graveside service will be held at 1 p.m. on Monday, Feb. 10 at Lonepine Cemetery, behind the Little Brown Church in Bigfork. The Memorial service will follow at 2 p.m. at the First Baptist Church in Columbia Falls.

If Bobbi has touched your life, her prayer for you is that you would live for God with everything in you, so that you also will be ready on the day of your death.

Johnson-Gloschat Funeral Home is caring for Bobbi’s family.