Charlotte Marie Banks Wagner

CHARLOTTE MARIE BANKS WAGNER December 8, 1942 ~ November 10, 2021 Beautiful. Sweet. Vibrant. Faith-filled. Loving. Ojibwe Nokomis (Grandmother). Charlotte Marie Banks Wagner was all that, and so much more! Charlotte entered into Heaven on November 10, 2021, and while all who love her are heartbroken, we rejoice in her Heavenly home-going! Born to Annie Banks and Joseph Lincoln on December 8, 1942 in Cass Lake, MN, on the Leech Lake Indian Reservation, Charlotte was a proud, enrolled member of the Minnesota Chippewa Tribe. As a young adult at Calvary Baptist Church in Pengilly, MN, she accepted Jesus Christ as her personal Savior and enjoyed studying the New Testament. Charlotte married Leonard Wagner, and their union was blessed with a daughter, Heather, and a son, Paul. She earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Elementary Education from Concordia College in Moorhead, MN. In 1986 the family moved to California, where Charlotte served her local Native community as the American Indian Employment Specialist at the Employment Development Department. In 2003, she became an employee of the State Of California as an Employment Program Representative, and was a dedicated employee who loved helping veterans. Charlotte taught Sunday school at Berean Baptist Church, and was giving, generous, patient, kind, helpful and thoughtful, with an empathetic heart. Charlotte enjoyed going to powwows, gospel hymns and old-style country music, baking, playing the piano, cribbage, Yahtzee and MahJong games, shopping, traveling, and watching TV, especially Steph Curry and the Golden State Warriors. She faithfully read her Bible and shared the gospel; most of all, Charlotte enjoyed spending time laughing with her family. Charlotte was preceded in death by her parents, and adoptive parents Emerson Smith and Hazel Smith; husband, Leonard; son Sampson Wagner; brothers Mark Banks, Dennis Banks, Jack Smith, and Patrick Banks; and sisters Audrey Banks, and Teresa Smith. She is survived by daughter Heather Pina and son-in-law Joseph Pina III; sons, Paul Wagner and Timothy Downs; and granddaughter, Aiyana Wagner, along with many loving nieces and nephews. Please join in offering prayers of healing and comfort for her family, friends and loved ones. Glory to God, in the highest! We will miss and love her forever -- and take consolation that, in the Ojibwe language, there is no word for goodbye. We say, simply, wasabi giin (“see you”) … what a glorious day that will be, when we are reunited with our Beloved Charlotte! A Celebration of Life will be held on Fri., Nov. 19, 2021 at Windsor Healdsburg Mortuary, 9660 Old Redwood Hwy., Windsor, CA, 95492; with family viewing at 10 A.M., and public viewing at 10:30, followed by a funeral service at 11 A.M; internment immediately following at Oak Mound Cemetery, 601 Piper St., Healdsburg, CA, 95448. If anyone would like to help contribute towards funeral expenses and any other expenses that may incur please donate here. https://gofund.me/b7b2a222 Her family thanks you and appreciate your help.

Charlotte Marie Banks Wagner

December 8, 1942 - November 10, 2021