Ann "Lina" Madeline Wagner of Simsbury, CT died October 16th, 2016 at the age of 95. She is survived by her son Richard "Rick" Dunbar Wagner, Jr.; her grandsons Lucas and his wife Glaiza Wagner, and Adam and his wife, Sherry plus their children and her great grandchildren Owen and Mina. She was predeceased by her loving husband, Richard Dunbar Wagner and her daughter Georgette Brien Wagner Saveth who was married to Henry Saveth. She is also survived by her daughter-in-law Carole Wagner and her daughters Saler Axel, her husband Eric and their two children Sammy and Zolly and Courtney Raskob and her husband Ben and their child Abner. Lina is also survived by Donal Fitzgerald, the last surviving member of her five siblings. Lina was very thankful for experiencing the joy of the many wonderful nephews and nieces and cousins from her large family. Born and raised in Winsted, CT, Lina was the daughter of the late Morris and Mary Fitzgerald, owners of the appliance manufacturing business Son-Chief Electrics, Inc. She attended Gilbert High School. Lina graduated from Saint Petersburg College in Florida and Pembroke College (now Brown University) with a major in Psychology. During World War II, she worked as a 'Top Secret Rosie' computer for the War Department, where she helped to crack encrypted Japanese transmissions. She met her husband, while living in New York City. They settled in Simsbury in 1952 and began an automobile dealership, Wagner Ford, Inc. Lina liked to describe herself as a professional volunteer involved in dozens of mainly local charitable organizations. Her love of gardening led her to become an honorary life member of the Simsbury Garden Club and Connecticut President and Northeast Director of the Federated Garden Clubs of America. Her notable achievement was helping to save Elizabeth Gardens in West Hartford from closure while President of the CT Garden. She was a certified NSSGC Master Flower Show Judge and Landscape Designer. She was the founder of the Simsbury Beautification Committee. She was a Board Director for multiple organizations including Simsbury Historical Society, Simsbury Library, Visiting Nurse Association, American Red Cross Chapter, Republican Town Committee, Girl Scouts Chapter, Simsbury Land Trust (founding member), Health Systems Agency Council, Village Water Works and the Governor's Consumer Advisory Council.
Later in life she developed hobbies of water color painting and antique collecting. She loved to travel worldwide especially in Central America where she and her husband spent time exploring archeology in Mayan ruins. Friends are kindly invited to a Funeral Mass of Christian Burial to celebrate her life at 10:00 AM, Monday, October 24th at Saint Catherine's Church, 265 Stratton Brook Road, West Simsbury. Burial will follow in the Simsbury Cemetery. The Vincent Funeral Home of Simsbury is caring for the arrangements.