Suzanne Tewell Wagner, 88, Lincoln, passed away April 4, 2019. She was born in Sidney, NE on January 26, 1931 where she grew up. Her friends called her Suzi.
Suzi graduated from the University of Nebraska with a teaching degree. She then taught English and history in the Kearney, NE public school system.
At UNL she was a member of Pi Beta Phi Sorority. For the rest of her life she was always a very active and reliable Pi Phi alum, contributing her time and talent to whatever needed to be done.
Suzanne met her husband Elliot E Wagner and they married on May 7, 1955. They remained married for the next 63 years.
She spent her life as a Lincoln, NE resident, a wife, a mother, a homemaker and a volunteer.
Suzi was a small woman with a big heart. She always thought of others before herself.
Active in the arts community, she served as a docent at Lincoln’s Sheldon Museum of Art for 25 years (1979-1986, 1988-2006.) She was also a long-time member of the Nebraska Art Association.
Suzanne chaired the membership committee for the Lincoln Community Concerts Association for ten years (1974-1984); that organization presented outstanding cultural events to Pershing Auditorium audiences such as Van Cliburn, Beverly Sills, Al Hirt, and many others.
One year she posed as Nobel Prize recipient Barbara McClintock in a huge UNL biology class, and no one doubted her authenticity.
Suzi was an avid bridge player and adored playing solitaire. She was a member of multiple bridge clubs in Lincoln for decades.
She was a voracious reader of murder mysteries, and made regular trips to the public library to replenish her stock.
Suzanne was a member of a small group of close couples who annually celebrated both summer anniversaries and New Year’s Eves together.
She was a magnificent seamstress. As a woman small in stature who had trouble finding her size, she created most of her own clothes. She also enjoyed needlepoint and quilting almost daily.
Suzi was highly intelligent, vivacious, witty and fun loving; a true friend to many who enjoyed giving of herself, her time, and her very special gifts to others.
She regularly doted on her only child and her beautiful granddaughters, and talked about them often.
Suzanne was proceeded in death by her father, Nebraska district judge James L Tewell, her mother Pauline (Wesner) Tewell, and her brother William H Tewell.
She is survived by husband Elliot E Wagner, son Jed S Wagner, and granddaughters Lauren A Wagner and Sierra W Breton.
There will be no service.