Paul E. Wagner

Preferred Name: Paul
Date of Birth: June 20, 1932
Highest Military Grade: 0-5 – Lieutenant Colonel
Hometown: Brewster, WA
Headed West Date: June 1, 2017

Paul E. Wagner was born in Brewster, WA. In 1940, the family moved to an apple ranch near Twisp, WA in the Methow Valley. After a couple of years attending Beaver Creek, a one-room schoolhouse, Paul went to Twisp City Schools, graduating in 1950. He was active in 4-H, high school basketball, and Boy Scouts – earning his Eagle Scout rank.

From an early age, Paul loved airplanes and would seek rides whenever he could. His ambition was to fly – especially jets. He attended Earlham College in Richmond, IN for a year, then transferred to Washington State University in Pullman, WA. He majored in Agricultural Engineering and enrolled in ROTC. He received his diploma and commission in 1955.

Paul flew the F-100 at the Amarillo Tech Training Center at Misawa AFB, Japan, and England AFB, LA. He then flew the F-100 with the 510th Tactical Fighter Squadron out of Bien Hoa AB, Vietnam, and the 79th Tactical Fighter Squadron out of Woodbridge AB, England.

Paul retired from the USAF in 1982. After retiring from the Air Force, he earned two master’s degrees and worked as a Financial Planner for seven years. He also flew for a small charter company in Sacramento. In 1989, Paul and Virginia moved to Twisp, WA to his family home. In the Methow Valley, Paul became the official volunteer airport manager for the Twisp airport. During his tenure, the dirt runway was paved and received lights. He bought a Cessna 210, which he chartered, and flew (for fun) all around the country.

He was a member of the Military Officers of America Association and Daedalian, a military pilots association.

In 2005, Paul was diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease. In 2012, as his health declined, he and Virginia moved to Huntsville, AL to be near family. Paul “Headed West” in 2017.