Lt. Col. Albert Lloyd Wagnon, 92, Gadsden, died Thursday, Jan. 7, 2016.
Funeral will be at 2 p.m. Monday at Collier-Butler Chapel. Burial is at Forrest Cemetery.
In recent years, he’d lived in Cumming, Georgia, where his daughters reside. His death came just a couple of months after he was in Gadsden for a book signing for that memoir, a collection of 101 stories written over the years about his life experiences.
A B-25 bomber pilot in World War II, Wagnon flew 53 combat missions over southern Europe, earning several medals and awards, including the Air Medal with six oak-leaf clusters. He retired in 1983 from the U.S. Air Force Reserve as a lieutenant colonel.
Wagnon served his country in the Army Air Corps and Air Force, and served Etowah County as executive director of its tourism board for 14 years.
Before he became tourism director here, he worked 13 years in county government in Georgia. He was drainage engineer for DeKalb County, county manager of Habersham County and county administrator of Forsyth County, where he retired and returned home to Gadsden.
Wagnon’s record of public service spans more than 60 years: as a member of the Gadsden Planning Commission, where he assisted in the development of Gadsden’s Master Plan; as chairman of the board of directors of the Alabama School of Trades, where he helped in the acquisition of Gadsden State Junior College for his community. He was a founding member of the Cultural Arts Foundation Board and served as treasurer during the construction phase. In 1989, Wagnon was named Patriot of the Year by the Alabama Legislature and was inducted into the Etowah County Patriots Hall of Honor — all in addition to his work promoting tourism in the region.
As tourism director, Wagnon was responsible for bringing the Alabama Princess Riverboat to the Coosa River. He used it to promote the historical significance of the Riverboat Era, including the re-enactment of “Lafferty’s Landing” and the founding of the town of Gadsden. The Princess later was re-christened as the Lady Lee in memory of his wife, Lee.
Wagnon was an ordained deacon and a member of the First Baptist Church of Gadsden.
Lloyd was a son of Herman L. and Sadie Louise Sizemore Wagnon and a brother to Hyram L., Jerry Lee, Jack A., Robert H. and Roy D. Wagnon; sister, Sadie Marie Wagnon Brown.
(Data from The Gadsden Times)
Funeral will be at 2 p.m. Monday at Collier-Butler Chapel. Burial is at Forrest Cemetery.
In recent years, he’d lived in Cumming, Georgia, where his daughters reside. His death came just a couple of months after he was in Gadsden for a book signing for that memoir, a collection of 101 stories written over the years about his life experiences.
A B-25 bomber pilot in World War II, Wagnon flew 53 combat missions over southern Europe, earning several medals and awards, including the Air Medal with six oak-leaf clusters. He retired in 1983 from the U.S. Air Force Reserve as a lieutenant colonel.
Wagnon served his country in the Army Air Corps and Air Force, and served Etowah County as executive director of its tourism board for 14 years.
Before he became tourism director here, he worked 13 years in county government in Georgia. He was drainage engineer for DeKalb County, county manager of Habersham County and county administrator of Forsyth County, where he retired and returned home to Gadsden.
Wagnon’s record of public service spans more than 60 years: as a member of the Gadsden Planning Commission, where he assisted in the development of Gadsden’s Master Plan; as chairman of the board of directors of the Alabama School of Trades, where he helped in the acquisition of Gadsden State Junior College for his community. He was a founding member of the Cultural Arts Foundation Board and served as treasurer during the construction phase. In 1989, Wagnon was named Patriot of the Year by the Alabama Legislature and was inducted into the Etowah County Patriots Hall of Honor — all in addition to his work promoting tourism in the region.
As tourism director, Wagnon was responsible for bringing the Alabama Princess Riverboat to the Coosa River. He used it to promote the historical significance of the Riverboat Era, including the re-enactment of “Lafferty’s Landing” and the founding of the town of Gadsden. The Princess later was re-christened as the Lady Lee in memory of his wife, Lee.
Wagnon was an ordained deacon and a member of the First Baptist Church of Gadsden.
Lloyd was a son of Herman L. and Sadie Louise Sizemore Wagnon and a brother to Hyram L., Jerry Lee, Jack A., Robert H. and Roy D. Wagnon; sister, Sadie Marie Wagnon Brown.
(Data from The Gadsden Times)
Lt. Col. Albert Lloyd Wagnon, 92, Gadsden, died Thursday, Jan. 7, 2016.
Funeral will be at 2 p.m. Monday at Collier-Butler Chapel. Burial is at Forrest Cemetery.
In recent years, he’d lived in Cumming, Georgia, where his daughters reside. His death came just a couple of months after he was in Gadsden for a book signing for that memoir, a collection of 101 stories written over the years about his life experiences.
A B-25 bomber pilot in World War II, Wagnon flew 53 combat missions over southern Europe, earning several medals and awards, including the Air Medal with six oak-leaf clusters. He retired in 1983 from the U.S. Air Force Reserve as a lieutenant colonel.
Wagnon served his country in the Army Air Corps and Air Force, and served Etowah County as executive director of its tourism board for 14 years.
Before he became tourism director here, he worked 13 years in county government in Georgia. He was drainage engineer for DeKalb County, county manager of Habersham County and county administrator of Forsyth County, where he retired and returned home to Gadsden.
Wagnon’s record of public service spans more than 60 years: as a member of the Gadsden Planning Commission, where he assisted in the development of Gadsden’s Master Plan; as chairman of the board of directors of the Alabama School of Trades, where he helped in the acquisition of Gadsden State Junior College for his community. He was a founding member of the Cultural Arts Foundation Board and served as treasurer during the construction phase. In 1989, Wagnon was named Patriot of the Year by the Alabama Legislature and was inducted into the Etowah County Patriots Hall of Honor — all in addition to his work promoting tourism in the region.
As tourism director, Wagnon was responsible for bringing the Alabama Princess Riverboat to the Coosa River. He used it to promote the historical significance of the Riverboat Era, including the re-enactment of “Lafferty’s Landing” and the founding of the town of Gadsden. The Princess later was re-christened as the Lady Lee in memory of his wife, Lee.
Wagnon was an ordained deacon and a member of the First Baptist Church of Gadsden.
Lloyd was a son of Herman L. and Sadie Louise Sizemore Wagnon and a brother to Hyram L., Jerry Lee, Jack A., Robert H. and Roy D. Wagnon; sister, Sadie Marie Wagnon Brown.
(Data from The Gadsden Times)
Funeral will be at 2 p.m. Monday at Collier-Butler Chapel. Burial is at Forrest Cemetery.
In recent years, he’d lived in Cumming, Georgia, where his daughters reside. His death came just a couple of months after he was in Gadsden for a book signing for that memoir, a collection of 101 stories written over the years about his life experiences.
A B-25 bomber pilot in World War II, Wagnon flew 53 combat missions over southern Europe, earning several medals and awards, including the Air Medal with six oak-leaf clusters. He retired in 1983 from the U.S. Air Force Reserve as a lieutenant colonel.
Wagnon served his country in the Army Air Corps and Air Force, and served Etowah County as executive director of its tourism board for 14 years.
Before he became tourism director here, he worked 13 years in county government in Georgia. He was drainage engineer for DeKalb County, county manager of Habersham County and county administrator of Forsyth County, where he retired and returned home to Gadsden.
Wagnon’s record of public service spans more than 60 years: as a member of the Gadsden Planning Commission, where he assisted in the development of Gadsden’s Master Plan; as chairman of the board of directors of the Alabama School of Trades, where he helped in the acquisition of Gadsden State Junior College for his community. He was a founding member of the Cultural Arts Foundation Board and served as treasurer during the construction phase. In 1989, Wagnon was named Patriot of the Year by the Alabama Legislature and was inducted into the Etowah County Patriots Hall of Honor — all in addition to his work promoting tourism in the region.
As tourism director, Wagnon was responsible for bringing the Alabama Princess Riverboat to the Coosa River. He used it to promote the historical significance of the Riverboat Era, including the re-enactment of “Lafferty’s Landing” and the founding of the town of Gadsden. The Princess later was re-christened as the Lady Lee in memory of his wife, Lee.
Wagnon was an ordained deacon and a member of the First Baptist Church of Gadsden.
Lloyd was a son of Herman L. and Sadie Louise Sizemore Wagnon and a brother to Hyram L., Jerry Lee, Jack A., Robert H. and Roy D. Wagnon; sister, Sadie Marie Wagnon Brown.
(Data from The Gadsden Times)
