Harold G. “Rusty” Wagler, 92, of Kalona, formerly of Washington, passed from this life on Sunday, July 2, 2023, at the Pleasantview Home in Kalona. A funeral service will be held Saturday, July 8, 2023, at 11:00 AM, at the Washington Mennonite Church. The service will be available via Livestream at the Beatty Peterseim Facebook and YouTube pages. A private family burial will be held prior to the service on Saturday at Sugar Creek Cemetery south of Wayland. Visitation will be held Friday, July 7, 2023, from 1 – 7 PM at the Beatty Funeral Home in Washington, where the family will greet friends from 3 – 7 PM. A memorial fund has been established for the Pleasantview Home and Iowa City Hospice.
Harold Glen Wagler was born July 6, 1930, in Trenton, Iowa, the son of Alfred and Josephine (Isch) Wagler. He was united in marriage to Lorna Mae Jones on January 2, 1954, in Wayland. She passed on May 14, 1986. He later married Mildred “Eileen” Waller in 1988. Mildred passed away on August 29, 2019. Harold worked as a building custodian at the University of Iowa Old Capitol Museum. He was a member of the Washington Mennonite Church and enjoyed woodworking, fixing things, traveling to flea markets, and collecting all sorts of things, including 8 track tapes.
Survivors include four children: Terry Wagler of St. Louis, Cary Wagler of Kalona, Candi (Doug) Schmieder of Kalona, Shelley (Jeff) Hootman of Tiffin; ten grandchildren: Shaun Wagler, Brooke (Scott) Hodge, Justin (Melissa) Wagler, Jennifer (Evan) Young, Riley, Jacob and Mitchell Schmieder, Trevor (Alysa) Port and Derrick and Anna Miller; 12 great-grandchildren; one brother Edwin (Joyce) Wagler of Wayland; and Eileen’s children: Kay Witthoft, Scot (Cindy) Heisdorffer, Mark (Candace) Heisdorffer, and Pat (Jeff) Richards.
Preceding Harold in death were his parents, both wives, an infant daughter Teresa Kay, three brothers: Willis, Delmer and Allen Wagler, sister Vada Reimer, and step-daughter Mary.