Golden Years Stories

Marjorie Wagler is a very special person who was diagnosed with Dystonia when she was 12 years old. She is now 47 years old, and despite her illness which has left her in a condition where she cannot walk, stand, and only has partial use of her body, she is still an incredible artist, poet, speaker, and writer. She is a born again Christian and says that, "God uses me and my talents for whatever He thinks I need to do on a day-to-day basis."

When you walk into Marjorie's room, you realize it's more of an art studio. There are tables with various art supplies, the walls are covered in her paintings and drawings,and the shelves house beautiful hand-painted vases. Her subjects range from religious scenes, to gorgeous flowers, animals, butterflies, and so much more.

This past year, Marjorie wrote a 35 page booklet of poetry, complete with images of her paintings which she has printed and given to many residents at Golden Years Homestead, where she lives. There are even copies for others to pick up in the cafe! Her poems reflect hope, faith, and peace - all of these things are feelings she believes God instills within her, and that she wants to pass on to others.

She says, "I've been at Golden Years for about a year and a half, and have been inspired by so much every single day that I've been here. I make things the best I can, but sometimes I have to find the body coordination to do it. There are times I have to lay in bed and sing to find the inspiration I need. This world may think I'm talking to myself, and it can be frustrating, but the Lord hears my cries and He responds. There's some comfort in my distress, and He shows me how I can comfort others with my talents. Sometimes the body doesn't always go with my mind, but God helps me find the spot where my body functions and talent meet."

Some of her recent projects include:

• 12 photo albums filled with reprints of her art
• Scrapbooking
• Painted flower vases
• Oil paintings

When you walk around the halls of Golden Years Homestead in Fort Wayne you can find her artwork everywhere, inspiring those who live and work in the community to have faith and be happy each and every day. We feel so lucky that Marjorie chooses to share her amazing talent with us, and can’t wait to see what she creates next!