Margaret (Pounds) Wagner

Margaret Anne (Pounds) Wagner passed from this mortal coil to her heavenly reward on Tuesday, April 16th, 2019, after courageously battling Multiple Myeloma for 2+ years and subsequently, bacterial flu & pneumonia.

Margaret was born on August 17, 1939 in Pull-Tight, Arkansas, north of Jessiville, to Haze A. and Wilma Reid Pounds.  She grew up in that area and in Mountain Pine as her father worked the timber industry with the Dierks Lumber Company.  While attending Mountain Pine schools, she met and married her life love, J.B. Wagner, and with him raised their family of 5 children; Robert, John, Tammie, Mark & Bruce.

When she started her family life, Margaret had to learn to cook, so she got all of the Betty Crocker cook books and taught herself to be an excellent cook.  But she was also one to learn from her elders and took advice and tips from the women in her life to improve her skills in this arena.  When she was able she was always trying new things and made them taste good.   But she was especially adept at dessert. She became so accomplished with this skill, that everyone wanted her to cook them something.  Get out of the way if it was a blueberry Yum-Yum or Cherry Roll.  Someone would run over you to get to it.  She also was adept with venison.  People that wouldn’t eat deer meat would eat hers the way she prepared & cooked it.

Margaret loved helping people, especially kids.  She cooked at Fourche Valley Schools for many years.  Later, she managed the Senior Center in Parks, AR, where she helped the community’s elders with nutrition, companionship and activities.  She would even take meals to the people that couldn’t make it to the center that day.  When she retired from the Senior Center after 21 years, Margaret & J.B.  would volunteer at Fourche Valley School.  They would substitute teach, chaperone events and be advocates for & friends to the kids.  Nearly all of them called them, Mom & Dad,  and many spent time at their house.  She would help the kids.  If one didn’t have something to eat or needed some article of clothing, she would find a way to make it happen.  She learned and loved to play the piano and played many songs “by ear”.  She would fill in for churches and other functions that needed a piano player.

Margaret worked tirelessly with J.B. to provide for them & their children.  She worked to instill a strong sense of right & wrong in her children and for them to do what is right, even if it isn’t easy. She & J.B.  had and have a strong sense of community and wanted to assist anyone who needed help.  They did many benefit auctions & fund-raisers for those in need.  She continued this tradition of helping in the community for as long as she was able to after J.B. passed.

Margaret is predeceased by her parents; husband J.B.; Son Mark; Grandson Zack; and brother-in-law William Green.

She is survived by daughter, Tammie Sparks (Roger, her favorite & onliest son-in-law) of Waldron: Sons; Robert of Nola, AR;  John (Shelley) of Scott, AR; and Bruce (Mickey) of Maumelle, AR.  Along with grandkids; Brent, Kayla, Cortland, Miranda (Jeremy), Brittany (Davis), Brandi (Tim), Colt, Tyler(Samantha), Lauren (Ty), Burt, Buck (Kara), Steve (Megan) and Samantha (Emrys); 19 Great-Grandkids and 2 Great-Great Grandkids.  A sister, Janice, of Columbia, SC and a Brother, Doug (Nancy) of Hot Springs along with a host of nieces, nephews and friends that she held as close as family.  She will be sorely missed by not only her family, but the community and all that she touched in life.

Margaret 's life celebration will be Saturday, April 20, 2019 at 10:00 a.m. at the Heritage Memorial Funeral Home in Waldron, Arkansas. Interment will follow in the Parks Cemetery in Nola, Arkansas. Arrangements are being entrusted to the Heritage Memorial Funeral Home in Waldron, Arkansas.

Margaret's pallbearers will be grandchildren.

Margaret's visitation will be Friday, April 19, 2019 from 5:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. at the Heritage Memorial Funeral Home in Waldron, Arkansas.