Sandra F. Wagenius

Sandra Florence Wagenius, age 90, peacefully joined the Holy Spirit on June 13, 2026,

comforted by the presence of her beloved husband of 69 years, Sevard.

Sandra was born on July 15, 1935, in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, to Thomas and Sydney

Blessing. She later received her USA Proof of Citizenship and was raised in Minneapolis,

Minnesota. After graduating from high school, she attended airline school, where she began a

career in aviation that would also lead her to the love of her life. While working for Northwest

Orient Airlines in Minneapolis, she met Sevard Wagenius. They married and began a life of

adventure together, eventually relocating to Anchorage, Alaska, through Sevard's work with

Northwest Orient.

Together, Sandra and Sevard raised their family of five, making their home in Anchorage and

primarily in Juneau, Alaska, while also living in Bethel, Sitka, Eagle River, and Palmer. In 2015,

they moved to Portland, Oregon, where they spent their retirement years together.

Sandra was a progressive, compassionate woman whose faith and commitment to serving others

shaped every chapter of her life. She immersed herself in the Native communities and their

culture and was well respected and appreciated. Her professional career included positions as a

reservation and ticket agent with Capital Airlines, Northwest Orient Airlines, and Alaska

Airlines before serving as an Administrative Assistant with the Alaska Department of Health and

Social Services. She later became an addictions counselor, dedicating herself to helping others

overcome life's challenges.

Her faith was central to her life. Sandra served as both a deacon and an elder in the Presbyterian

Church. In 1987, she earned her Bachelor's Degree in Psychology from the University of Alaska

Anchorage, fulfilling a lifelong commitment to learning and service. She went on to become an

Ordained Lay Pastor at Hiland Mountain Correctional Center in Eagle River, Alaska, where she

led the institution's first Kairos Prison Ministry weekend. She also founded the Mary Magdalene

Program, offering hope, guidance, and support to women seeking to leave prostitution and

rebuild their lives beyond prison.

Sandra's legacy is one of faith, compassion, courage, and service. She touched countless lives

through her ministry, counseling, and unwavering belief that every person deserved dignity,

grace, and a second chance.

Sandra was preceded in death by her parents, Thomas and Sydney Blessing; her brother, Thomas

Blessing II; and her beloved daughter, Katherine "Kibby" Wagenius.

She is lovingly remembered by her devoted husband of 69 years, Sevard Wagenius; her children,

Sevard (Becky) Wagenius of Ketchikan, Alaska; Sydney Beasley of Ogden, Utah; Becky (Ron)

King of Cody, Wyoming; and Eric Wagenius of Portland, Oregon.

She is also survived by her cherished grandchildren: Rachael (Aaron) Shull, Melody Zariczny,

Sandra (Casey) Littlejohn, Andrea (Justin) Putnam, Jesse (Marie) King, Ronald King, and Kevin

(Kara) King; 19 treasured great-grandchildren; and many extended family members, dear

friends, and all whose lives she touched.

Sandra's life was a testament to faith in action, unconditional love, and the power of serving

others. She believed deeply in redemption, lived with compassion, and gave generously of her

time and heart. Her kindness, wisdom, unwavering faith, and servant's spirit will continue to

inspire all who knew her. Though she has departed this earthly life, her legacy lives on in the

hearts of her family, friends, and the many lives she transformed