Mary "Jean" Pageler

Mary “Jean” Pageler, 97, of Wamego, KS passed away Monday, August 2, 2021.

She was born to George Leland and Katherine Emily Ballentine Dewey at their home south of Wamego in Wabaunsee County, Kansas on July 3, 1924.  She attended school in District #75 (Brown) in Wabaunsee County until 8^th grade.  She graduated from Wamego High School in 1942.  Jean married Eugene Lawrence Pageler on August 30, 1946 in an Evangelical church in Alma, KS.  They celebrated their 74^th anniversary in 2020.  He preceded her in death on February 8, 2021.

Jean was a Switch Board Operator at the Wamego Telephone Office from 1942 to 1947.  She became a farm housewife in 1947.  Jean and Eugene moved to Laclede in Pottawatomie County, KS in 1954.  She was a cook at the Laclede School in 1963 and later drove the Wamego School Kindergarten bus for a short time.  Jean worked at McCall Pattern Company as a Pattern Folder from 1969 to 1985.  Later, she operated a small clothing alteration business in Wamego.  She enjoyed sewing for herself and others.  Her sewing and tailoring skills won numerous ribbons at the Pottawatomie County Fair.  She had a passion for gardening and preserving foods and loved sharing that passion with her grandchildren.  She was a great leader and mentor for her family and community members, and they often called her for guidance.

Jean was an active member of the Family & Community Education (FCE) Club of Laclede.  In 2000, she became a member of the Wamego Historical Society and enjoyed volunteering by giving tours and telling stories of her experiences of life on the prairie during the dirty 1930’s.  She was elected volunteer of the year at the Wamego Historical Society in 2009.  She also enjoyed being a member of the Kaw Valley State Bank Heritage Club and the Bank of the Flint Hills Legacy Club and taking her grandchildren on the tours.  For many years, Jean enjoyed watching the birds and wildlife that frequented her feeders.  She especially enjoyed sharing all these activities with her children and grandchildren. 

Jean is survived by her son, Dennis W. Pageler, and wife Laurene, Wamego, KS; her daughter Polly Oswald, and husband Rick, Onaga, KS; four grandchildren: Nathan (Sarah) Pageler, Hillsboro, MO; Ellianna Pageler, Lenexa, KS; Adam Pageler, Wamego, KS; and Caleb Oswald, Onaga, KS.  She was also preceded in death by her parents; her mother’s second husband, Leslie Cox; a sister, Nancy Lee Stone; and a grandson, Zachary Pageler.

Funeral services for Jean will be held at 10:30 a.m. Friday, August 6th at the Campanella and Stewart Funeral Home of Wamego, with family greeting friends during a visitation Thursday from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. In lieu of flowers, memorials are suggested to the Wamego Historical Society, and may be left in care of Stewart Funeral Home of Wamego, PO Box 48, 665647.