Fred Wagoner

Fred Homewood Wagoner, 88, of Raleigh, died at home at Springmoor Retirement Community on Friday, July 22, 2011. He was born in Durham County, NC, son of the late J. Irvin and Eunice Homewood Wagoner. His early years were spent in Gibsonville, NC, on the Wagwood family farm. He was a WWII veteran, serving in the 104th infantry division of the Army from 1942 - 1945. He graduated from NC State College in 1947 where he was Student Body President from 1946 - 1947 and lettered in football, wrestling and boxing. Fred spent his career with the NC State Agricultural Extension Service, serving as the State 4-H Camping Specialist. Fred was honored for his wide involvement in NC 4-H by being inducted into the National 4-H hall of Fame in 2007. He and Dot, his wife of 65 years, retired to Laurel Springs, NC. They established and operated the Fred and Dot Wagoner Christmas Tree retail business in Greensboro, NC and began Fraser Knoll Farm in Laurel Springs, raising Christmas trees and selling equipment and supplies to tree growers and retailers. In Laurel Springs he was a member of Ashe Presbyterian Church, Peak Creek Ruritan Club, NC Christmas Tree Association and board member of Ashe County Farm Bureau. Surviving are his wife Dot Mann Wagoner; children, Donald (Karen) Wagoner, Emily (Dick) Tinsley and Tommy (Carol) Wagoner; grandchildren, Christine Wagoner, Ashley (Eric) Layton, Allison (Conrad) McMullan, Laura Simons, James Simons, Jr., Thomas Wagoner and Anna Grace Wagoner; and great-grandchildren, Jackson Wagoner McMullan and Milly McMullan; and brothers, John Bryan Wagoner (twin) and Paul McRae Wagoner. The family will receive friends on Sunday, July 24 in the Great Room at Springmoor from 2:00 until 5:00 PM. The burial will be on Monday, July 25 at 10:30 AM at Raleigh Memorial Park and a memorial service celebrating his life will be held in the Springmoor Auditorium at 2:00 PM. Memorials may be made to the NC 4-H Scholarship Fred & Dot Wagoner Endowment (Campus Box 7645, Raleigh 27695), Ashe Presbyterian Church (220 Lynch Colvard Rd, Jefferson, NC 28640), Hospice of Raleigh (250 Hospice Cir, Raleigh 27607) or Springmoor Endowment Fund, 1500 Sawmill Rd, Raleigh 27615).

Fred Wagoner

June 7, 1923 - July 22, 2011