Stella Wagner, 84, passed away at Immanuel Skilled Care Center on Oct. 15, 2015. 

Stella was born Feb. 8, 1931, in Allons, Tennessee. Stella and her sister, Elva, did not have an easy life when they were young. Then a special couple, Mr. and Mrs. Baskin, took them into their home and raised them. Stella was a hard worker and as soon as she was old enough she was working to help pay her way.

Stella met Don Wagner who was stationed at Stewart Air Force Base in Tennessee and they were married Oct. 8, 1955. A few years later, Stella and Don picked up and moved to Don’s hometown of Kalispell. Stella worked at various jobs, but the job she loved was in women’s clothing. She and Don owned three women’s clothing stores in Kalispell, The Closet, Touch of Class and Fashion Lady. They also had stores in Nashville, Butte and Great Falls. Stella was an expert in women’s fashions and her passion was managing the stores, knowing what fashions would sell best and also going on numerous buying trips. Up until the very end of her life, her most favorite thing was going on shopping sprees at the mall and then wearing her finds. She loved it when the other residents and workers at Immanuel would make comments on what she was wearing.

Stella also loved dogs, and she and Don raised Collie and Malamute show dogs and various other dogs. After retiring they also had a second home in Nevada for a few years and then finally settled in Kalispell which Stella said was her “home”.

She is preceded in death by her husband, Don, her sister, Elvia Palsgrove and a brother-in-law, Jim Wagner.

She is survived by a sister-in-law, Pat Wagner; niece, Darlene Fowler; nephew, Ken Wagner; a cousin by marriage, Gary Wagener and his wife Linda; and lifelong friends Eddie Kerr and Julia, Cheryl Cobb and Bill and Linda Wright.

A special thank you goes to the caring staff of Immanuel Lutheran and Stella’s special friend Tracy.

A graveside memorial service will be held 1 p.m. Wednesday, at Glacier Memorial Gardens.