Verneda Louise Wagner

Verneda Louise Wagner was born November 26, 1942, to Donald Lester and Blanche Verneda Arkell in Pendleton, Oregon.  She passed away peacefully on July 26, 2024. Verneda attended Washington Elementary, Helen McCune, and graduated from Pendleton High School in 1961. As a child, she enjoyed ballet and bowling.  Her toe shoes and bowling trophies can still be found at the farm. 

After high school, she trained to become an X-ray technician and married Merton Gale Wagner on February 1, 1963. They remained married until Gale's passing in 2000. Verneda and Gale raised two daughters, Wendy Eileen (1966) and Whitney Anne (1971).

Verneda often shared tales of her early years, including driving wheat trucks, riding drills, and butchering cows. She and Gale enjoyed snowmobiling with friends in the ’70s & ‘80s and was known for her heavy hand on the throttle and navigating the toughest trails. Other hobbies included boating and riding side saddle in the Westward Ho parade.  

As they used CBs to communicate for farm work, she took to their use even in her leisure time.  A CB could be found in every vehicle they owned and the “Snow Queen” spoke to truckers when traveling. She also had a scanner and home base and was entertained by conversing with other users.  She loved watching the Indy 500 and the Thanksgiving and Christmas parades on TV each year. 

A self-taught skilled seamstress, Verneda became a leader for a sewing group called the Swinging Sewers, teaching and supporting 4-H members for over three decades.  She filled her home with many sewing machines so anyone could learn to sew.  4-H members would ride the bus or drive to the farm after school to work on their projects.  The refrigerator was always full of pop and the cookie drawer was full of cookies.  Her students competed at the M-F Junior Show, Eastern Oregon Livestock Show, Umatilla County Fair, Oregon State Fair, and the Make-It-with-Wool Contest. Once Verneda retired from 4-H leadership she began judging and then took to altering wedding and formal dresses. In her final years, she altered police uniforms.  

Additionally, Verneda played bridge and was involved in a local bridge club that was often made up of neighbors and other farmwives. She kept busy and involved by serving on multiple boards including the Helix School District, Intermountain ESD, and Round-Up Hall of Fame.  

One of her favorite pastimes was watching her children and grandchildren participate in youth sports and over the years she could be found watching volleyball, basketball, track, football, baseball, softball, cross country, and of course rodeo.  She also hosted teams that came to the AA basketball tournaments in Pendleton. 

Verneda had a deep love for animals and always had a collection of dogs, cats, and birds. She once traveled to Portland and came back with a station wagon full of 2 peacocks, 3 ducks, 5 banty chickens, 2 bunnies, and a nine-year-old with chicken pox. 

One of her favorite times of year was Round-up week.  In 1976 she was asked to help in the properties room at Happy Canyon and continued to manage it until 2022. She was the recipient of the Happy Canyon Appreciation Award in 1998. 

Verneda is survived by her daughters and their families and one brother: Wendy and Tom Sorey, Whitney and Kevin Porter. Grandchildren: Pake and Bailey Sorey, Emily and RJ Ramos, Andrew Porter, Hallie and Owen Robinson, and Trent and Aspen Sorey.  Great-grandchildren: John Brinker Ramos IV and Ottilie Robinson.  Brother:  Keith and Charlene Arkell  She was preceded in death by her parents. 

A graveside service at Olney Cemetery will be held on August 20, 2024, at 2 pm, followed by a reception at the Let'er Buck Room at 3 pm.  She would love a gathering of her friends to have a drink in her honor.  In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made to the Helix Booster Club, Buck Boosters, or PAWS.