Ruth Shumaker Wagner

Ruth Shumaker Wagner a longtime District of Columbia resident, beloved mother and grandmother who had a distinguished career as a journalist, died Saturday, March 9, 2019 peacefully in her home. She was 96.

She was predeceased by her husband Gerald G. Wagner in 1977. Mr. Wagner was a leader in Washington film and international cultural circles. Mrs. Wagner is survived by her son Mark C. Wagner of Washington, DC and his wife Sonja; daughter Katherine Wagner Palmer of Salem, MA and her husband Steve; her grandchildren Alison and Hannah Palmer, Gerald Wagner, and Madison (Wagner) Dittman.

Mrs. Wagner was born on October 28, 1922 to Alice and Henry Shumaker of Reading, Massachusetts. She gained a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Wheaton College, and began her career as a fashion copywriter in Boston. She was recruited and moved to Washington, DC, where she served as a journalist and assistant society editor for the Times-Herald newspaper.

Joining the Washington Post in 1954 as Fashion Editor, Mrs. Wagner was a reporter and journalist who profiled luminaries from Coco Chanel to Peter Max. She shared stories with her family about the articles she wrote and edited, including a quirky tale of the Swiss engineer Georges de Mestral who invented Velcro®.

Mrs. Wagner was recognized in 1964 for fashion writing in the J. C. Penney – University of Missouri Journalism competition for her illustrated story on “swinging Discotheque fashions ”as reported in the 1964 article entitled “Very Much in Fashion…Ruth Wagner.” The Style section debuted in the Washington Post in January 1969 replacing a section called For and About Women. Mrs. Wagner was an early contributor to the new section covering fashion, society and culture in and around Washington. She later became the editor of Living in Style, a weekly feature in the Sunday Style section.

As a life-long learner, after her journalism career Mrs. Wagner worked as a bookkeeper for the National Cathedral and volunteered as a counselor for consumer protection for the elderly. She continued to enjoy completing the New York Times Sunday crossword puzzle weekly well into her 90’s. She stayed abreast of political issues and was known for her keen intelligence and insights. Mrs. Wagner was also an avid baseball fan, first the Red Sox and then her home team the “Nats”.

In later years, Mrs. Wagner traveled throughout the United States including Arizona, Utah, Florida and New England. She spent many summers in Rehoboth Beach, DE beginning in 1970, and passed on her love of the ocean and quiet walks along the beach to her children and grandchildren. The Wagner home on Park Avenue in Rehoboth was a gathering place for family and friends. She was a gracious hostess and always shared her sense of style with those around her. She will be fondly remembered for her generosity, intelligence, curiosity, strength and humor.

The family will have a celebration of life memorial service on Sunday, March 24, 2019 from 2:00 – 4:00pm at Joseph Gawler's Sons, at 5130 Wisconsin Ave NW, Washington, DC 20016. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, https://www.cbf.org/