Royal Patrick Wagner

Royal Patrick Wagner, affectionately known as “Pat” to friends and “Popeye” to his grandkids, passed away peacefully on October 20, 2025, at the age of 97.

Pat was born on May 3, 1928, in Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin, to Martina (McGowan) and Walter G. Wagner. Growing up with his younger brother and sister, he spent his early years exploring the beauty and small-town charm of Wisconsin Dells. He graduated from Kentucky High School and went on to attend the University of Notre Dame, where his love of learning and sense of adventure began to take shape.

From 1947 to 1951, Pat proudly served his country as a Merchant Marine, traveling the seas and gathering stories that would entertain friends and family for decades to come. In 1950, he married the love of his life, Frances Mary Hellenbrand, beginning a lifelong partnership full of laughter, hard work, and unwavering faith. Together, they raised seven children: Roxanne Patricia, Rhoyden Patrick, Rhona Patrice, Michael, Karl Peter, Mary Anna, and Rex Paxton (miscarriage).

In 1958, Pat and Fran moved to Arizona, where they made their home and raised their growing family. Pat worked as an General Plumbing Contractor in Maryvale, building both homes and a strong reputation for integrity and craftsmanship. The Wagners cherished their time spent at their getaway in Cholla Bay, Sonora, Mexico, where the family built memories that would last generations.

Later, Pat and Fran settled in Prescott, Arizona, in a home they built together in the mountains—a place Pat fondly described as filled with “sorrowless times.”

Known for his sharp wit, easy laughter, and a fondness for good whiskey, Pat was the life of every gathering. Beneath his humor was a deeply generous and faithful man, devoted to his Catholic faith and always ready to lend a helping hand.

Pat was preceded in death by his beloved wife, Frances, in 2009; his youngest daughter, Mary Anna, in 2023; and his brother, Jack Wagner, in 2021.

He is survived by his children, Roxanne Patricia Stein (75), Rhoyden Patrick Wagner (73), Rhona Patrice Rumple (70), Michael Wagner (68), and Karl Peter Wagner (66); his sister, Sharon (Wagner) Yockey (90), and brother-in-law, Dr. John Yockey. He is also survived by 13 grandchildren, 17 great-grandchildren, and 4 great-great-grandchildren—all of whom will remember him as “Popeye,” the heart of the family.

After contracting COVID in 2023, Pat moved closer to his children, where he continued to be surrounded by family and love until his passing following a major stroke. Pat has now joined Fran and Mary Anna in heaven, where laughter surely continues—and the whiskey never runs out.

A celebration of Pat’s life will be held on December 5, 2025, at 11 a.m. at Sacred Heart Church in Prescott, Arizona.