Patricia Wagler

Patricia Ann Raistakka Wagler of Forest Grove, Or. and Naselle, Wa. died Tuesday evening, May 7th in her family home in Forest Grove, Or. after a prolonged illness. Pat was born to Leo and Sylvia Raistakka of Naselle, Wa. on July 25, 1931. She attended grade and high school in Naselle and was a student of journalism at Lower Columbia Junior College in Longview, Wa. in 1950 when she moved to San Franciso, Ca. to marry the love of her life, Lawrence Wayne Wagler on July 11, 1950. They returned to Naselle when Wayne returned from overseas duty and lived in Naselle until 1954 when they moved to Portland and then to Forest Grove, Oregon in 1959 where Pat became the women's/lifestyle editor for the Forest Grove News Times, winning many awards and recognitions until her retirement in 1995. After retirement the Waglers enjoyed traveling the United States in their motor home with their little pug dog named Peggy. They also were able to travel to Hawaii and to cruise to Alaska with some of their children and grandchildren. Pat had the opportunity to travel to Tahiti, Acapulco and Mazatlan Mexico as well as to the land of her ancestors, Finland after Wayne's death. Pat often was heard to say that no matter where in this wide world she traveled she loved the Naselle Valley best and the Waglers have maintained a summer home on the Naselle River since their retirement , where sitting in the kitchen window and watching the eagles soar rivaled any sights she saw anywhere else. Pat was the wife of L. Wayne Wager for 50 years and he preceded her in death in Oct., 2000. She is survived by their three children, Laurie Ann Wagler-Burke of Beaverton, Or. Rebecca Lynn Wagler-Underhill of Portland, Oregon and Barry Wayne Wagler of Forest Grove, Or. Nana also leaves behind grandchildren: Robert Amos, Micha'l, Aaron, Jacob, Jaimee and great grandchildren; Antonio, Robert, and Jamie. Sharing this loss is her brother, Phillip Raistakka and his children; nephew, Steven and nieces Debbie and Deanna and Lisa Alves-Bighill, all of Naselle. She was a life long member of Naselle Evangelical Lutheran Church P.O. Box 100, Naselle, Wa,. 98638)and memorial contributions may be made to the church with the hopes of one day being able to install a handicapped lift so that those who are physically challenged, as Pat was in her later years will be able to access the sanctuary and the church hall. Funeral services were held on May 12 at 1:00 at Naselle Evangelical Church and Pat was buried beside Wayne at Peaceful Hill Cemetery. A memorial will be held on May 17th at Forest Grove Lutheran Church at 2327 17th Ave. in Forest Grove. Arrangements handled by Penttila's by the Sea in Long Beach, Wa. Pat will be missed by all who knew her. She made friends with everyone she met and was once tickled to be called " a blessing" by a stranger on the street as she passed by and gave him one of her famous smiles that just warmed the heart from the inside out.