Yvonne Elaine Wagner passed away on Monday, May 27th, 2024 at 88 years young. She was surrounded by her family and was her positive, spitfire self until the very end.

Yvonne was born on July 26th, 1935 in Boise, Idaho, to Claris Shores and Fern Shores (Hackenberg), and was the youngest of three children. Her family moved to Newberg, Oregon, in 1937. After graduating from Merritt Davis Business School in Salem, Yvonne began her colorful career which included a brief period in modeling, some years as an educator, and various secretary roles. She spent the last 27 years of her career working at Salem Hospital before retiring in 2013.

If life were a bull, Yvonne grabbed the dang thing by the horns. She was the life of the party, always knew how to have a good time, and called bullsh*t when she saw it. When her grandkids told her they would never do anything she wouldn’t do, her reply was always “Well that doesn’t leave much, now does it.” Which was true, turns out, as she was still trying to get her family kicked out of bars at age 84 by getting tipsy and dancing to the live band in a restricted area.

Being born during the depression gave Yvonne the skills of resourcefulness and finding the fun and joy in the simplest of things. She always had a hack for whatever you needed, be it getting a stain out of something or swapping an ingredient in a recipe. She loved spending time in her garden feeding the birds or at the beach going crabbing and puzzling, and much preferred a margarita over a glass of wine. She was an absolute card shark, an avid cheater in Yahtzee, and was always down to play a harmless prank. And my god was she stubborn— a trait she successfully passed down to two generations of women in her family.

Yvonne had an infectious sense of humor and an enormous heart. She never took herself too seriously and could make light of any situation. There was no better feeling than making her giggle uncontrollably, which was most likely after you’d made a fairly naughty joke. She was the neighborhood mom when her kids were growing up, and fiercely loved her grandkids. Need 26 flower ribbon crowns for a fairy princess birthday party? We’d better call Grandma.

Yvonne was predeceased by her parents Claris and Fern, brothers Roy and Lloyd, and husband Billy. There is no doubt that she and her mother are already causing some trouble now that they’re together again.

She is survived by her four children, Jeff Wagner (Linda), Rick Wagner, Terri Minniti (Blair), and Shelly Connolly (Gary). She adored her role as grandma to Nathan and Dani Townsend, Michele Davis (Jon), Libby, AnneMarie and Ryan Minniti, and Brandon and Maddie Connolly. She was also a beloved great-grandma or “GiGi” to Noelle Townsend, and Scarlett and Addy Davis. Her family was, in her words, “my greatest achievement in life, along with living to be 88 years young.”

A celebration of Yvonne’s life will be held on Saturday, June 22nd at Restlawn Memory Gardens, 201 N Oak Road in Salem from 11am-2pm. Light bites will be provided and we will be toasting her with margaritas, per her wishes. Please feel free to wear blue to her celebration as she was very fond of that color, and bring your best Yvonne stories to share.

In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation to your local animal rescue in Yvonne’s name. 

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