Eugene Vernon Pagel

Eugene Vernon Pagel, age 53, passed away unexpectedly on September 5th, 2023 at his place of employment. He was born in Wausau, Wisconsin to Thomas and Gloria Pagel on August 7th, 1970. He attended Wausau East High School where he met the love of his life, Sandra VanDerLeest. They married on June 12th, 1993 and together they built a beautiful and loving family. 

Eugene was welcomed into Heaven by the loving arms of his grandparents, Vernon and Marie Pagel, and his grandfather, Eugene Anderson. 

He remains in the hearts of those still on Earth: his wife Sandra, son Nicholas, daughter Kaylee Cline, grandmother Delores Anderson, parents Thomas and Gloria, parents-in-law Leon and Bernice VanDerLeest, siblings Phillip (Tanya) and Ruth Jones, siblings-in-law, nephews, great-nephews and nieces, and countless others who were touched by his kind, generous, and loving presence. 

Eugene was always willing to help friends and family no matter the personal cost. Whether it be yard work, car troubles, construction projects, or simply a shoulder to cry on, he was always where he was needed. Eugene was a big kid at heart and enjoyed tinkering with his numerous toys. His most recent leisure projects included remote control trucks, a drone, and a dual-sport motorcycle. He could make anyone smile with his well-developed sense of humor. He was fluent in sarcasm, wrote the book on harmless pranks, and showed his love the most by cracking jokes at the expense of anyone and everyone, including himself. His nickname, "Pumbaa," was entirely self-proclaimed (and only ever used by himself) as a reference to his gift for flatulence. He dedicated his life to his wife and children and would do just about anything to see them happy. He enjoyed talking about politics and his faith with Sandra, as well as attending numerous concerts, watching movies, and traveling to Missouri together. He always enjoyed hunting, working on or talking about cars, and shooting guns with "Buddy" or "Buckwheat" Nicholas. Eugene also enjoyed watching "Grease" hundreds of times, incessant jokes, and a ton of "don't tell mom" moments with his "Buttercup" Kaylee. 

Visitation will be held at St. Peter Evangelical Lutheran Church (238537 Del Rio Rd. Wausau, WI 54403) on Friday, September 15th from 4 PM to 7 PM and Saturday, September 16th from 9 AM to 11 AM with funeral services.