Melessa M. Wagner

Melessa Milstead Wagner, 82, passed away on Monday, Nov. 20, 2023, at Commonwealth Senior Living in Hagerstown MD.

Born April 4,1941 in Baltimore, MD she was the daughter of the late Harold Milstead and Bertha Maddox Milstead.

She was a 1959 graduate of Havre de Grace High School in MD and earned her bachelor’s degree in graphic design from Shepherd University in Shepherdstown, WV when she was 63 years old.

Melessa was a graphic designer, computer programmer and systems instructor, conference coordinator and teacher.

During her career, Melessa held positions with the Urban Coalition of D.C., Science Applications Inc. as conference coordinator for the Presidents Biomedical Research Panel, as an instructor for Honeywell Systems, and Graphic Designer for her own business, MacWagner Enterprises.

Early in her career, as a second job, she worked as a manager at Mr. Henrys Capitol Hill, a prominent jazz club with local performers such as Roberta Flack. She was able to make the down payment on her first home with the savings from this job.

Melessa was a lover of music, especially rock, jazz and 50’s pop. Among her favorites performers were Elvis, Nat King Cole, Roberta Flack, Norah Jones and jazz guitarist Joe Pass.

A terrific dancer herself, she was also a lover of ballet and modern dance and a patron of the Washington Ballet Co. Her favorite dancer was Mikhail Baryshnikov.

Melessa was an expert dressmaker. She could make anything from high end fashion clothes which she wore smashingly, to clever Halloween costumes for the children.

Melessa was active in the community as a den mom for the cub scouts, a founding member of Unity of Shepherdstown study group of religions and spirituality, and a substitute teacher for Jefferson County Schools.

She was an advocate for equal rights and an advocate for homeschooling. She possessed boundless energy and was a leader. She was a person of courage and compassion.

Above all else, Melessa loved her family, her life in Shepherdstown and her many friends.

She was a wonderful mother and grandmother and was a devoted and loving wife to her husband, John, for over 40 years.

She is survived by her husband, John Wagner; sons, Bruce, John and Richard; daughters, Deborah, and Lorinda “Lori”; grandchildren, Jessica, Alex, Jason, Stephen, Britney, Haley, Galen, Azure, Maeve, and Norah; great grandchildren, Averie, Roman and, Lyra; and sister, Diane Archer. She was preceded in death by her brother, Ashton Milstead.

In lieu of flowers the family requests donations be made to the Alzheimer’s Association at www.alz.org.

A Celebration of Life will be held at 2 p.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 27 in the Train Station at Shepherdstown for family and friends.

Arrangements by Brown Funeral Home.

Online condolences may be offered at www.BrownFuneralHomesWV.com.