Kathleen O’Meara Wagner Dahlberg

Kathleen Mary O’Meara Wagner Dahlberg died peacefully on August 11 at the Benedictine Health Center (BHC). She was born on June 15, 1943, in Duluth, Minn., to Sylvester and Helen O’Meara Wagner. She attended St. James Catholic School, and graduated from Duluth Cathedral High School in 1961. 

She loved geography, maps, and traveling, including to three World’s Fairs in Seattle, New York, and Montreal, and later to her beloved Ireland (though she was mostly German and only a bit Irish!). She had many creative talents including crafts, ceramics, cake decorating, her infamous hand-painted sugar cookies, and a love of theater and music. She cherished St. Patrick’s Day celebrations, music, and food (inherited from her O’Meara mother!). 

She worked as a secretary for Minnesota Power, and for the Model Cities Program for the City of Duluth Department of Economic Development, before becoming a stay-at-home mom to her three kids – which “was work, too!” She was a member of Holy Rosary and St. John’s parishes, and was an active volunteer while her children attended both schools. 

She is preceded in death by her parents Sylvester and Helen Wagner, her in-laws Martin and Helen Dahlberg, and her brother Joseph “Jody” Wagner (who died 59 years earlier to the day). She is survived by her husband of 56 years Thomas Dahlberg who compassionately and tirelessly cared for her throughout her long illness and her last days; her children Renee Dahlberg and Jon Hoof, Steven Dahlberg and Doreen Cherniske, and Eric and Jeannie Dahlberg; her grandchildren Rachel and Abby Salzer, Eliza Bee Dahlberg and Annabelle Colonna, Gina and Kirk Henchen, Michael Anderson, Laura Anderson; her great-grandchildren Brooke and Logan Henchen; her brother James and Victoria Wagner, her sister Mary and Joe Sitek, her brother-in-law Gerald and Marilyn Dahlberg, and her brother-in-law Fr. Daniel Dahlberg; and many nieces, nephews, and cousins. 

The family expresses deep gratitude to the saints and angels who cared for Kathleen at BHC, the nurses and staff from Essentia Hospice, the Benedictine Sisters of St. Scholastica Monastery (especially cousin Sr. Beverly Horn), cousin Patricia Peterson, the community of residents at BHC who became friends and companied Kathleen and her family through her final days, and the many individuals in Duluth who shared great kindnesses during the past three weeks. 

Visitation will be 3:00-5:00 pm on Sat., Aug. 17, at Dougherty Funeral Home (600 E. 2nd St., Duluth), and from 1:00-2:00 pm on Sun., Aug. 18, prior to a Mass of Christian Burial at 2:00 pm at Our Lady Queen of Peace Chapel at St. Scholastica Monastery (1200 Kenwood Ave., Duluth). A lunch will follow in the Rockhurst Auditorium at St. Scholastica Monastery. Burial will be 11:00 am on Mon., Aug. 19, at Calvary Cemetery Duluth. Memorials can be made to St. Scholastica Monastery (1001 Kenwood Ave., Duluth, Minn., 55811). Funeral arrangements by Dougherty Funeral Home.