We regret to advise of the death of Lieutenant Colonel Nelson Wagner, CD (Ret’d), peacefully, on Wednesday, 3 April 2019 in Regina, SK at age 66. A proud Veteran, Nelson served Canada as a Canadian Military Engineer officer for 23 years.
Nelson joined the Canadian Military Engineers with the Regular Officer Training Plan and graduated with a Civil Engineering degree from the University of Western Ontario. After completing his Military Engineering Officer Classification training at the Canadian Forces School of Military Engineering (CFSME) he was posted to the Base Construction Engineering Office in Winnipeg, MB and then in Chilliwack, BC. Nelson then went overseas to Germany with the Base Construction Engineering Office in Lahr where he was the Requirements Officer (1979-84). He then returned to Canada for a tour with CFSME (1984-86) before being promoted to Major and being sent to Queen’s University (1986-88) to obtain a Masters degree in Business Administration. Nelson was then posted to National Defence Headquarters with the Directorate of Construction Engineering Management and Policy in the Chief of Construction and Properties(1988-91) after which he was a student at the Canadian Forces Command and Staff College in Toronto (1992-93). Promoted to Lieutenant Colonel, he was posted to Goose Bay, NL as the Wing Construction Engineering Officer (1993-96). After this appointment, he had a short tour in NDHQ before taking his release from the Canadian Forces.
After retiring from the Canadian Forces in 1997, Nelson first worked with the Saskatoon School Board before joining the Education Department of the Saskatchewan Provincial Government. He then joined the University of Regina and served with them for 13 years. Nelson had just announced his retirement from his position as Associate Vice President, Facilities Management in February 2019.
At Nelson’s request, there will be no funeral service or flowers. Should you wish to remember him through an In Memoriam donation, Nelson suggested the Cancer Foundation of Saskatchewan, #200 – 4545 Parliament Ave., Regina, SK S4W 0G3 or online at www.cancerfoundationsask.ca.
The family would value stories or tributes for Nelson. They are putting together a book for Nelson's first grand child. The book will be dedicated to her so that she can begin to know her grand father.
Dave Button will be collecting any materials and can be reached at: dave.button@uregina.ca
