Lou received his contractor's license in 1963, and opened Wagner & Holmer (with Don Holmer) in 1964. In 1982 it became Wagner & Holmer Inc. And Lou is still going strong today."Lion Lou" joined the Santa Paula Lions in 1953 and served all offices but secretary and treasurer before he became president 1959-1960; he was appointed Zone Chairman 1961-1962; appointed Deputy District Governer 1962-1963; and became president of the club again in 1981-1982 and again in 1993-1994 - a total of 46 years of community service!Santa Paula Lions meet the second and fourth Thursdays of each month. Visitors are welcome and volunteers needed.Call Maggie at 525-5575 for information on our new projects: October 23 and 24 - Yard Sale (this will be combined with "Kases for Kids" kick off); need donations of backpacks, duffle bags and lightweight luggage (all in good condition) for children going to foster homes, safe houses for abused children, and homeless shelters.
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Profile of a Lion: Louis "Lou" Wagner
October 15, 1999
Santa Paula News
Louis "Lou" Wagner was born in Phoenix, Arizona. His family came to Santa Paula in 1920.
Lou attended Mound School and McKevett School. He was transferred to the "new" Isbell School on its opening day. He attended SPUHS and graduated in 1936.Lou then went on to Curtis Wright Institute of Technology. After graduation he was hired by Vultee Aircraft of Pico Rivera and Long Beach, where he worked until 1941.On June 14, 1941 he married Mona Barmore of Santa Paula. Mona has been a Lion "member at large" since March, 1997, and has helped on Lions fundraisers.Lou and Mona moved to Connersville, Indiana, where Lou worked for the U.S. government teaching aero mechanics at the high school, starting his teaching career in 1941.Lou stayed in Indiana until 1943, when he was requested to return to California so he could report to his draft board. He remained here in a U.S. Army pool waiting to be placed.When several months passed, Lou made application to Pan Am Airlines in San Mateo and went to work there. He also signed up in the U.S. Naval Reserve from 1944 to 1946.After the war, Lou returned to Santa Paula and started building the house that he and his family would live in, and where he and Mona still live. He was approached by a contractor from State Improvement Co. to be superintendent building tract houses in Ventura.
