Hortense Wagner

Hortense Wagner (nee Pytlik), aged 93, passed away peacefully on Christmas morning, December 25, 2024 in Wauwatosa, Wisconsin after a fight with cancer. Hortie was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, and her 4 sisters.  She is survived by her children Don (June) Wagner, Marsha (George) Toshner, Mike (Tiff) Wagner, and Rich Wagner; her 14 grandchildren - Dan, David, Doug, John, Jeff, Brad, Jenny, Rachel, Rebekah, Abby, Phoebe, Lydia, Jonathan, and Stephen; her 12 great-grandchildren - Maggie, Sylvia,Cyrus, Eloise, Ezra, Blakelynn,Lazarus,Charlotte, Nadine, Abel, Griffin, and one on the way. Also, many nieces and nephews. Hortense "Hortie" was born at home Oct. 15, 1931, in Milwaukee, WI, to Joseph Robert Pytlik and Martha Barbara (nee Grzeskowiak) Pytlik.  She was the second of 5 girls, living in a rear house behind her maternal grandparents. Her paternal grandparents were farmers in Poland. To emigrate to the USA, they packed a wagon with vegetables to sell along the route, then sold the wagon to pay for their transatlantic passage. Her maternal grandparents emigrated separately and met in Milwaukee. Hortie's mother, Martha, made most of her 5 daughters' clothes when they were young. Both parents worked at a box factory. Her father, Joseph, had been trained as an electrician, but had difficulty getting a job because he was a Polish immigrant. Hortie attended St. Casimir's Parish School with some classes taught in Polish, later graduating from Riverside High School in Milwaukee. She completed one year of college before working full time at Lakeshore Labs until she met (at a rollerskating rink) and married Marshall (Gene) Wagner, of West Allis in Dec of 1952.  Since her sister Mary (Chickie) had gotten married earlier in the year, the sisters decided, with classic Polish frugality, to exchange dresses (bridesmaid to bridal, and vice versa) so Hortie could marry Gene before he deployed to Korea. They lived on the North side of Milwaukee until 1969 when they moved to Cedarburg. Hortie was a homemaker when her children were young, and started working as a bookkeeper for a local liquor store when they were older, finally keeping the books in a billing office for medical offices. Hortie was widowed in 1996 when her husband passed of heart failure.  She moved to active senior apartments in Mequon in 2015. After a fall in Sept 2024, she moved to Waterford Assisted Living in Waterford, WI.  Shortly afterward she was diagnosed with an aggressive brain tumor.  She had two good months before severe symptoms took her to the ER and Zilber Hospice in Wauwatosa, where she passed away peacefully only days later. Hortie exemplified Polish frugality, practicality, and understated acceptance. She made many of her own clothes, packed her children's lunches, and often cut their hair when needed. She took what life gave her with classic Polish understatement: when life handed her problems, rather than suffering, she'd say, "Lots of people have it much worse." Hortie was a source of generosity and service throughout her life. It seemed she was always taking care of people. She knit caps and sweaters for newborns, volunteered at her church, and helped people negotiate their complicated tax forms. Throughout her later life, as her sisters and friends became infirm, she helped them with the practicalities of meals, transportation, and financial details. Hortie loved sports of all kinds, playing cards, and taking care of people. She was an avid bowler (until age 90) and Bridge player. She hated when her teams played stupidly, when she got bad cards, and when anyone made a fuss over her. In fact, she'll probably hate that we even said this much. There will be a funeral for immediate family and close friends of Hortie on January 7th, 2025 at St Catherine of Alexandria Parish, 8661 N 76th Place, Milwaukee. Visitation 11am-12pm, Catholic Mass at 12pm, followed by a light luncheon at the church hall. In lieu of flowers, you may choose to donate to St Vincent de Paul, or Heart of the Nation.