Karen P. Myers, of Columbia, went home to be with the Lord on January 4, 2025, at the age of 85.
Karen was born in Hannibal, Missouri, the daughter of Harold C. & Mabel (Hackler) Price.
As a young girl, she moved with her parents and siblings to Benton County, to the farm where her grandparents, James E. & Mary Helen (Caldwell) Hackler, were living. The farm was originally owned by her great- grandfather John R. Hackler who won it in a poker game in the 1870’s. Karen attended, and graduated from a one room school, South Pleasant Hill, where her mother and uncle had also attended. She graduated from Warsaw High School, then graduated from the University of Missouri in Columbia with BS and an MS in Textiles and Apparel Management.
While attending university, she met her first husband, Ernest M. (Marty) Wagner Jr whom she married in 1961. They lived in Fulton, Missouri, where Karen taught at William Woods college. After moving to Iowa, she taught at Iowa Wesleyan College and was head of the Home Economics Department. They then moved to Glen Haven, Wisconsin where Karen taught at the Technical School in Fennimore, Wisconsin. Karen eventually retired from teaching and devoted her time to gardening and genealogy. Marty passed away in 1985 and after a few years Karen met her second husband Fredrick S. Myers on a trip to China. They married in 1989 and moved to Stow, Ohio. Later they moved to Long Boat Key, Florida where they lived for 9 years. In 2000 Karen & Fred moved to Columbia, Missouri and Fred passed away in 2005.
While in Columbia, Karen reconnected with the College of Human Environmental Sciences (HES) at the university and was a member of the Jeferson Club and the Vanguard Society and was also a past president of the HES Alumni Board. She was honored with the Distinguished Service Award in 2008.
Karen was a fan of Mizzou football and basketball and loved attending games and tailgating with her friends and fellow alumni. Karen’s other interests included being a devoted Cardinals’ fan, playing bridge and her cats. She was also dedicated to her church, The Christian Science Society, as well as the Philanthropic Educational Organization (P.E.O.).
Karen is survived by her children Ernest M. (Ty) Wagner III and James Cameron Wagner, stepchildren Timothy Myers and Melinda Davis, grandchildren Elisha Wagner, Jonathan Wagner, and Kaylin Wagner, step grandchildren Jordan Davis and Ashley Davis, great grandchild Scarlett Wagner-Steinke, and siblings Randy Price and Jill Barnett.
In lieu of flowers, the family kindly requests donations to the Tiger Scholarship Fund (www.giving.missouri.edu). Words of remembrance and support may be shared with the family at a memorial service on January 16, 2025, at 12:30 p.m. at the Lenoir Woods Chapel, 3710 Lenoir St, Columbia, MO 65201.
