Tuscarawas County is lucky to have Shirley
Some people are put on this earth to give. In Tuscarawas County, that person is Shirley Wagner. A lifelong resident of New Philadelphia, Wagner has done everything from lifeguard at Tuscora Park pool, teach at the high school, and even serve as the 2007 First Town Days Parade Grand Marshall. She does all of this with a smile and humbly admitted, "It's the kind of thing I like to do."Wagner graduated from New Philadelphia High School in 1947 and is a Quaker through and through. Although she has seen the world through travels by herself and with the help of her son, Eric, who is currently working in Venezuela, Wagner is committed to helping her hometown as much as she possibly can.
Many of Wagner's early memories revolve around her time spent at Tuscora Park. For five years she acted as a girls playground supervisor, where she would organize playtimes and events for area children. And like many teenagers today, she spent her summers as a lifeguard for the pool and helping out in the concession stand.
Today, Wagner is still very involved with her neighborhood park and sponsors a concert in RTY's Summer Showcase every year. The kick-off performance by the Dominic Greco Band is brought to you by Wagner every season, as she cites a love for the arts and the people involved as her motivation to do so. She also sponsors a concert by the Tuscarawas Philharmonic Orchestra during their regular season and provides several scholarships for the Quaker Foundation and Muskingum University in the names of her late husband, Donald P. Wagner, and father, Guy O. Kimmel.
"My father was a big fan of Muskingum," Wagner, who is also a graduate of the university, said. "And he knew the importance of education and I think just by osmosis, it's happened to me, too."
Not surprisingly, Wagner went on to teach in the New Philadelphia City School system for more than 20 years and retired after her husband passed away. She did not let retirement slow her down, however, and remained active in several city organizations such as the Tuscarawas County Historical Society, Dennison Railroad Depot, Dover Historical Society, and the Tuscarawas County Retired Teachers Association, as well as Trumpet in the Land – in all of which she has been named a life member.
Wagner also acts as active treasurer of the tourist club and the Friends of the Tuscarawas County Public Library, a place she visits several times a week. After a busy day, which begins at 5 a.m. and a workout at the local Curves, Wagner likes to wind down with a good book and an Indians game on television.
In life, staying busy and being involved within the community is what makes Wagner happy. And what draws her to remain in Tuscarawas County, despite the fact her children have moved away, is the people. "People make the beauty of it. I've traveled all over the world and I have seen the most beautiful places. But I've been asked what the best place I've ever been to was and I say right here in the Tuscarawas Valley."
In the end, Shirley Wagner considers herself extremely lucky to have Tuscarawas County as her home, but the truth is, Tuscarawas County is truly lucky to have her.