Eleanor F. Wagner

Eleanor Faye (Hillegas) Wagner, 99, a 42 year resident of Annapolis died on Sunday October 29th. Born on January 26, 1924 to Milton and Clara (Livingston) Hillegas on the family farm near Fairhope, Pennsylvania. She was delivered by her father during a snow storm.

After graduating high school in 1942 she moved to Akron, Ohio to join her older sister Mary, where they worked as riveters in a wartime aircraft factory. In 1944 she enlisted in the Navy WAVEs. She was stationed in Norfolk, Virginia where she met and married fellow sailor Frederick Wagner. His work took them to his hometown of Portsmouth, Ohio, then after several transfers around the country, to Maryland. They were happily married for 62 years until his death in 2013. They loved to travel and did it extensively. She was a member of ceramic, gourmet and garden clubs and involved in many activities at the Heritage Baptist Church in Annapolis. Known as Nanny by all, she was an extraordinary homemaker who loved to cook and entertain family and friends.

Eleanor is survived by her three children, Frederick Wagner Jr. and wife Carol of Vienna, Va., Joyce Diggs and husband Reese of Severna Park, MD., Kenneth Wagner and wife Rebekah of Annapolis, MD.; her grandchildren and their spouses; Alex Wagner, Kristen Diggs, Scott(Nikki) Diggs, Stella McKinney-Lockey, Sam(Paige) Wagner, Annie(Jerry) Jubb & Janice(David) Schroeder, 16 great grandchildren, brother-in-law, Paul Wagner, Portsmouth, Ohio and many nieces and nephews.

In her last years she lived at Brightview Assisted Living Edgewater where she was a resident ambassador and had many loving friends and caregivers. Nanny was deeply loved and already greatly missed!

There will be a viewing from 9-10 o’clock on Tuesday morning November 7, followed by a 10 o’clock service at John M. Taylor Funeral Home, 147 Duke of Gloucester Street, Annapolis, MD. A brief ceremony will be held at 11:30 at the Crownsville Veterans Cemetery, 1122 Sunrise Road, Crownsville, MD.

In lieu of flowers the family asks donations be sent to Hospice of the Chesapeake 90 Ritchie Highway

Pasadena, MD 21122 https://www.hospicechesapeake.org/giving/donate-now/ or Heritage Baptist Church 1740 Forest Drive, Annapolis, MD 21401 https://www.heritageloves.com/onlinegiving

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared on this website for the Wagner family.