MANSFIELD: Dr. Blake D. Wagner, Sr., passed from death to life on July 28, 2026, surrounded by the love of his family. Every chapter of his remarkable life was shaped by faith. For more than four decades, Blake served as a pastor, proclaiming the Gospel and walking alongside others with compassion, wisdom, and grace.
Born in Akron, Ohio, on October 27, 1931, Blake was the son of the late John E. and Ruth (Daniel) Wagner. Raised alongside his brothers, Dean M. and Dale A. Wagner, he sensed God’s call to ministry from an early age. After graduating from Kenmore High School in 1949, he continued his education at The University of Akron, Oberlin College Graduate School of Theology, and Vanderbilt Divinity School.
On August 6, 1954, Blake married the love of his life, Gere C. Wagner. Together they built a marriage of nearly 72 years. Throughout their years they walked with God, and invested in their family and the lives of the communities they served.
For 42 years, Blake faithfully led United Methodist congregations throughout Ohio, including churches in Cuyahoga Falls, Lorain, and Euclid, before spending 19 years as Senior Pastor of Main Street United Methodist Church in Mansfield. Additionally, from 1980 to 1992, he represented the Robert H. Schuller Institute for Successful Church Leadership as Field Ministries Representative, leading more than fifty church growth seminars.
Retirement in 1993 simply marked the beginning of another season of ministry. Blake directed the Rapha Christian Mental Health Treatment Program at Richland Hospital, continued preaching at First Presbyterian Church in Crestline, participated in Kairos Prison Ministry at Zephyrhills Correctional Institution in Florida, worshipped and served at St. Paul’s United Methodist Church in Largo, Florida, and found great joy serving through the Heart of Ohio Walk to Emmaus.
Blake’s influence reached well beyond the local church. He was a past president of the Mansfield Inter-Church Council, the Mansfield Ministerial Association, the Mansfield Noon Optimist Club, and Mansfield Chapter 718 of AARP. Within the East Ohio Conference of the United Methodist Church, he served as a delegate to the General Conference, chaired numerous ministries, served on the Board of Ordained Ministry, and spent 10 years as a trustee of Ohio Wesleyan University. In addition, his dedication was recognized through countless honors and awards.
He is survived by his loving wife, Gere Wagner; his children, Lynn (Michael) Wood and Blake D. (Jennifer) Wagner, Jr.; grandchildren Kara (Nicholas) Smith, Blake (Frantzesca) Wagner III, Brenton (Lauren Galat, fiancée) Wagner, Joy (Jeremy) Sharp, and Brandon (Hannah) Wagner; and great-grandchildren Valor and True Smith, Quinn and Isaiah Sharp, Leopold and Theodore Wagner, and Elliott Wagner.
Family and friends are invited to gather to celebrate Blake’s life on Monday, August 3, 2026, from 5 to 7 p.m. at Snyder Funeral Homes, Marion Avenue Chapel. A funeral celebrating his life will be held on Tuesday, August 4, 2026, at 11 a.m. at Ontario United Methodist Church, where friends may visit one hour before the service. Burial will follow at Ontario Community Cemetery.
Memorial contributions may be made to Main Street United Methodist Church or Ontario United Methodist Church.
Snyder Funeral Homes is honored to serve Blake’s family and encourages you to share a fond memory or message of condolence on his obituary page at www.SnyderFuneralHomes.com.
Funeral Home: Snyder Funeral Homes, Marion Avenue Chapel
Website: www.SnyderFuneralHomes.com