John Wagoner

John Bryan Wagoner, 93, passed away Monday, February 7, 2017 at his residence surrounded by his family. He was born in Guilford County on June 7, 1923 to the late Jew Irving Wagoner and Eunice Homewood Wagoner and was married to the late Helen Barnett Wagoner who died in 2012.

John grew up on a farm to a father who served in World War I and a mother who was proud to be one of the few women to go to college during her era. He took over Wagwood Farms, combined from his father's last name Wagoner and mother's maiden name, Homewood.

He followed his dad to N. C. State College along with his twin brother, enrolled in ROTC which paid for his college education. During his sophomore year at NC State, the US was dragged into WWII. He, his brother, and all of his male classmates were immediately drafted.

John trained recruits and later officers during World War II at Fort Benning, Georgia. At the time, Fort Benning was home to the advanced infantry training school and officer candidate school. He was promoted to captain and trained the soldiers that would be on the front lines.

After the war end, he volunteered to go to Europe as the officer in charge of a Graves Registration Unit. As such, their responsibility was to locate the graves of American airmen who had been shot down and died in the crash. The Germans usually buried the airmen next to their crashed plane. The unit's job was to locate the crashed planes and dig up the bodies so that they could be reburied in an American military cemetery. During the war, he played football for the Army football team. He returned after the war to complete his college education at N. C. State. He returned to the N. C. State football team and was proud to be the starting guard on 1946 N. C. State Gator Bowl Football Team. He graduated with honors; he was the President of Class 1947, president of Golden Chain, member of the Blue Key, Alpha and Alpha Zeta, Upsilon Sigma Alpha and Alpha Gamma Rho Fraternities.

John was a seven year veteran of the Canadian Football Program, played for the Ottawa Roughriders and British Columbia Lions (from 1948-1954). He won the Grey Cup with Ottawa in 1951. He was on the All Canadian Team in 1948 and 1949. While playing for the Roughriders, he met his soul mate, Helen Barnett and married in 1954. He returned to Gibsonville to resume farming on Wagwood Farms. He later converted Wagwood Farms to Wagoner Christmas Trees. He founded Wagoner Christmas trees in Sparta, NC. He was one of the founders of the North Carolina Christmas Tree Association, and served as Director and Secretary-Treasurer for 30 years.

He provided Christmas trees to wholesale customers from New Orleans to New York. He was proud to sell Christmas trees and trimmings to customers in Greensboro and Burlington for more than 40 years. His sons, Bryan and Bruce, have taken on his role of supplying Christmas trees in the Greensboro area.

John was a lifelong member of Friedens Lutheran Church; he was a devoted and loving husband, father, grandfather, brother and friend who will be missed dearly.

Survivors include his sons and daughters-in-law, Bruce and Mandi Wagoner of Greensboro, Bryan and Michele Wagoner of Gibsonville; daughter and son-in-law, Dr. Lynne Wagoner and Victor Walton of Cincinnati, OH; grandchildren, John Wagoner, Bryce Wagoner, Jake Wagoner, Ethan Wagoner, Emma Wagoner, Emily Walton, Caroline Walton and Victoria Walton; and a brother, Paul Wagoner of Gibsonville. He was preceded in death by his parents; twin brother, Fred H. Wagoner and a sister, Margaret Ellen Morgan.

The funeral service will be held 11:00 AM Saturday, February 11, 2017 at Friedens Lutheran Church by Pastor Bill Zima with the burial to follow in the church cemetery. The family will receive friends from 6 to 8 PM Friday at Lowe Funeral Home & Crematory.

In lieu of flowers memorials may be made to Friedens Lutheran Church, 6001 NC 61 North, Gibsonville, NC 27249 or the American Heart Association, 4217 Park Place Court, Glen Allen, VA 23060.

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