Our beloved great grandmother, grandmother, mother, and friend, Jessie Noreen Wager, 92, peacefully passed into Eternity on Sunday, May 23, 2021.
Born March 30, 1929 to the late Wells B. Warren and Jessie A. (Baldwin) Warren in Port Huron, Michigan, Noreen would later meet and marry her “one in a million” now late husband, Reverend William G. Wager, a United Methodist minister, on October 29, 1948. With passionate servants’ hearts, together they served many congregations in and around Southeastern Michigan. At the time of Bill’s death on June 27, 1991, Bill and Noreen had been married nearly 43 years. During their marriage, Noreen was a devoted and faithful wife, supportive pastor’s spouse, loving mother to their two children, William and Patricia, caring LPN to the residents of several Detroit Area hospitals, and doting grandmother. And after Bill’s death, Noreen remained the center of her family’s universe until her own peaceful passing.
A longtime Port Huron and later Fort Gratiot resident, Noreen loved the Blue Water Area - especially the lake, freighters, wildlife, agriculture, and people. A former Peach Queen, Noreen was proud part of her community and volunteered much of her time with her longtime congregation, First United Methodist Church, camps, local soup kitchens, hospitals, animal rescues, and she supported many other private and civic organizations. She loved her community and was generous in sharing her time, deed, and monetary means.
While she was an active part of her community, Noreen was never more active in anything than in the lives of her beloved family. Noreen was present at our births, weddings, graduations, and other big life celebrations; but also irreplaceably in our daily lives - our home-building, school plays, sporting events, concerts, dance recitals, academic competitions, neighborhood bike rides, Friday night family pizza and movie nights, and summer family baseball games and barbecues, to name a few. She shared in holiday celebrations and smaller special events, as well - always sure to celebrate each of our birthdays individually with a birthday meal as well as participating in our larger birthday parties. She always took pictures, sent letters and cards, called us on the phone, clipped us coupons and newspaper articles/comics, knit us special items, encouraged our dreams (but asked the hard questions), donated to the organizations and causes of our passions, shared a cuppa coffee or tea or even a can of pop, and - no matter how big or how small - Noreen never failed to seize an opportunity to remind us of her love. She kept our childhood gifts/small tokens, our cards, and small notes of love and encouragement - and she displayed them as if they were her most prized possessions (because they were). She always provided us with what we needed when we needed it - whether that be a kind word, hug, handful of cash, fun trip, story of faith, or just giving us space. Noreen wasn’t perfect; but she, like her husband Bill, was one in a million, and we were blessed to call her “ours” for so long. Of all the roles she had in life, Noreen’s most precious ones were those she held within her family. She loved us all dearly and was proud of the lives we’ve chosen to live. She was a true matriarch - one who loved us even when we were unlovable, was patient and kind even when we didn’t deserve it, and showed us how to live a life in which we could take pride. Noreen will be greatly missed by many, but most of all by her family. She will live on in our hearts forever.
Noreen is survived by her devoted and loving family: a son, William (Judith) Wager of Clyde Twp., Michigan; a daughter, Dr. Trish McNeil of Parker, Colorado; five grandchildren: William (Jessica) Wager, Curtis (Heather) Wager, Heidi Kristin Wager, CMSgt Gordon (Beth) Wager, and Kelly McNeil; and eight great grandchildren: Mina, Landon, Noah, Tate, Eden, Nicholas, Jonah, and Áine Wager.
She is predeceased by her parents Wells B. and Jessie A. Warren; her husband, William G. Wager; son-in-law, George (Skip) McNeil; and an infant granddaughter, Hope Marie Wager.
Visitation will be from 7-9 p.m. on Thursday, May 27, 2021 in Pollock-Randall Funeral Home.
Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Friday, May 28, 2021 in Pollock-Randall Funeral Home with visitation beginning at 10:00 a.m. The Reverend Grant Lobb will officiate. Friends may view the livestream of the service by visiting Noreen’s obituary on the funeral home’s website.
Burial will follow in Lakeside Cemetery.
Memorial contributions may be made to First United Methodist Church in Noreen’s memory and honor. To send condolences, visit pollockrandall.com
