Helen Wagner

Obituary Information for Helen A. Wagner Helen A. Wagner of Rock Hall, MD died on June 27, 2002 at Kent & Queen Anne’s Hospital, Chestertown, Maryland from the result of a stroke. She was 93. Mrs. Wagner was born on December 9, 1908 on the family farm in Piney Neck near Rock Hall, MD. She was one of nine children born to the late Joseph Columbus and Augusta Crouch Ashley. She attended the Piney Neck School with her siblings. “My sisters, brothers, and I walked over a mile to school and it was only in very bad weather that my father would carry us in our “horse-drawn wagon,” she remembered. Mrs. Wagner continued her education at Rock Hall High School and later graduated from Washington College class of 1930. Following her graduation “Miss Helen” began her teaching career at the Millington High School where she and the principal, Richard Rasin, were the only teachers. She transferred in 1934 to Rock Hall High School. In 1939, she married Francis M. Wagner, both were active in the community. Her husband of twenty-nine years predeceased her in 1968. Known to everyone as “Miss Helen” she was one of the last of the “old time” teachers whose sole purpose in life was educating young people. She was one of the most popular teachers of her era and was respected and loved by many. Their welfare was her number one concern, challenging all to perform their best. During her teaching career spanning four decades, the Kent County Educator taught many subjects including English, Latin, French, music, and physical education. But it was as an English instructor that “Miss Helen” left her greatest mark, demanding that students use good grammar in speaking and writing. Her belief in the importance of correct grammar was rooted in her own early education at the three-room Piney Neck School near Rock Hall. She often remarked that, “Over the years, quite a number of my former students have mentioned how much those lessons of grammar had helped.” “Miss Helen” always had time for her students and was absolutely dedicated and devoted to the school. A very fair and thorough educator, she was a friend to the students and held them accountable to high standards. Known for the discipline she commanded, she described her philosophy regarding teaching, “If a strict disciplinarian meant being friendly, firm but fair, expecting pupils to work hard, to be prompt in completing school assignments, and above all to respect authority, then I can say I was one of those teachers with a reputation known to be strict.” She was a warm person to be around and had a way of making everybody comfortable. She could walk into a room full of people she didn’t know and instantly become their friend. “Miss Helen” took pride in her mental acuity and regularly did crossword puzzles, which she felt sharpened her ability to recall past events. She was often called upon to deliver speeches, rich with memories, for the annual Rock Hall Alumni Banquets and class reunions. She continued teaching until 1971 when the county’s four high schools consolidated, becoming Kent County High School. Mrs Wagner’s retirement in 1971 signaled not an end, but the beginning of an entirely new and exciting chapter of her life, that of a world traveler. She always returned to her native Rock Hall where she would proclaim her most recent journey as “absolutely intriguing.” In 1998 “Miss Helen” was honored with Kent County Schools “Graduate of Distinction” for her long service to the community. It was noted that, “Helen Wagner’s warm caring manner touched the lives of thousands of students, parents and friends.” She is survived by nieces: Carol A. Clark, Donna A. Olsen, and Patsy S. Reihl, nephews: Preston and Gene Ashley and Olivia Hinson a devoted family friend. Funeral services will be held on Monday July 1, 2002 at 11:00 a.m. at Rock Hall United Methodist Church where relatives and friends may call one hour prior to the service. Interment will be in Wesley Chapel Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, at her request, contributions may be made to the Rock Hall High School Alumni (RHHSA) Scholarship Fund P.O. Box 76 Rock Hall, Md. 21661. It was her wish to help deserving students needing financial aid to attend college. Arrangements by Fellows, Helfenbein, and Newnam Funeral Home Rock Hall, Md. www.fhnfuneralhome.com