Obituary of Mary Williams Wagner

Mary Williams Wagner Pittsboro- Mary Williams Wagner, 84, of Pittsboro, died Tuesday, July 3 at UNC Hospitals following a brief illness. She will be greatly missed by her family and many devoted friends. The daughter of the late Otha Williams and Sula Byrd Williams of Cary, N.C., she graduated Cary High School in the class of 1945. In her late teens she was a member of the Wake County Civil Air Patrol. She worked in private industry for the Phillips Petroleum Company, and as a U.S. Federal Government employee, with both the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences and the Environmental Protection Agency. A lover of music, Mary was a talented pianist and contralto. She was also an accomplished seamstress, for years making much of her own wardrobe. In the late 1970's, she renewed her interest in aviation and, as a member of the Chapel Hill Flying Club, learned to fly single-engine aircraft. Mary was an active volunteer with UNC Public Television for more than twenty years and received several honors during her long service. She also acted as a mediator with the Chatham County Dispute Settlement Program and, for several years, has served on the board of directors of the Chatham county chapter of the Salvation Army. She is survived by her husband of 36 years, Murphy Thomas Wagner; son, John Ford and his wife, Margaret of Pittsboro; and sister, Frances Rogerson and her husband, Ed of Knightdale, N.C. Visitation will be held Sunday, July 8 from 6:00-8:00 p.m. at Walker's Funeral Home, Chapel Hill. The funeral will be held Monday, July 9 at 11:00 a.m. at Damascus Congregational Christian Church, Chapel Hill. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to the Damascus Church Cemetery Fund.