William “Bill” Edward Wagner

MAPLE GROVE–William “Bill” Edward Wagner, MD was born in Beech Grove, IN on December 2, 1946 to Wilbur E. And Eva (Johnson) Wagner. He died on July 26, 2025 in Maple Grove, MN in the home he and his wife Marilyn had lived in since 2016.

Bill lived all over the Midwest, living most of his life somewhere along Highway 59, with some short interludes in other parts of the country and the world. He grew up with his parents and younger brother, Robert Murray Wagner, in Des Plaines, IL, home of the first McDonald’s franchise, something he would proudly share when he had a captive audience. He went to high school in Kansas City, bragging about how his theater teacher went on to teach Tom Hanks.

A Kansas Jayhawk, he played in the college orchestra before going to medical school at the University of Texas-Galveston, graduating in 1972. While in his residency in Yankton, SD, he met a nurse named Marilyn Higgins. They were married on November 22nd, 1974, recently celebrating their 50th anniversary.

Their son, Michael William Wagner, was born July 19, 1976. Soon after, Wagner became a Major in the U.S. Army and the family moved to Seoul, South Korea and then Fort Campbell, KY until his honorable discharge.

The family moved to Marshall, MN where Bill was a surgeon at Weiner Memorial Medical Center for Doctor’s Plaza, which later merged with Affiliated Medical Center. In Marshall, their second child, daughter Jennifer Lynn Wagner (Hanson) joined them on February 18, 1981.

A skilled surgeon who was quick with a one-liner and a trivia question for his patients and their families, he was the president of the Minnesota Chapter of the American College of Surgeons and a frequent guest on radio and television programs that discussed innovations in medicine. A lover of surgery and a hater of paperwork, he retired the day he turned 59 and a half.

Bill and Marilyn moved to Summerlin, NV outside of Las Vegas where Bill substitute taught in area high schools in between rounds of golf. An avid golfer, Bill hit three holes-in-one and enjoyed sharing laughs, frustrations, and Arnold Palmers on the links with friends and family.

The two moved to Waverly, IA and then to Maple Grove, MN to be near family for his last years. He especially enjoyed watching his grandchildren play sports and engage in the fine arts.

Bill loved facts, talking about facts, trivia games, opera, loud rock and roll (especially Buddy Holly and Ricky Nelson), playing the cello, golfing, playing cards, talking about politics, British history and Hollywood, sneaking food he should not have been eating, Minnesota sports teams, the Chicago Cubs, watching old movies and television shows, and channeling his inner Clark W. Griswold on long family roadtrips to see historical, if a bit obscure, pieces of Americana. Anyone who knew him well heard his lists of acting performances that should’ve won Oscars but weren’t even nominated as well as the scourge of the number of unprotected leftturns in whichever place he was living. He was patriotic but untrusting of politicians. He was friendly and community-minded and a big believer in individual freedom and hard work.

He is survived by his wife of 50 years, Marilyn Kay (Higgins) Wagner, his brother Bob (Desley Noonan-Wagner) son Michael William (Rachelle Lynn Winkle-Wagner) of Madison, WI, daughter Jennifer Lynn Hanson (Corey Robert Hanson) of St. Michael, MN and grandchildren Eleanor June and Abigail Lucille Winkle-Wagner and Taylor Lynn and Brennan Robert Hanson and six nieces and nephews.

Private family inurnment Rush Creek Cemetery, Maple Grove, Minnesota. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to Brighton Hospice 4500 Park Glen Rd. Suite 475 St. Louis Park, MN 55416. Arrangements with Kozlak-Radulovich Maple Grove Chapel, 763-416-0016.