Loren Wagner

Loren E. Wagner

Detroit Police Department, Retired

March 21, 1947 - March 2, 2026

Loren Elias Wagner, age 78 years, formerly of Detroit, Michigan; husband, brother, uncle, career sworn Police Officer, traveler, and lifelong student died on March 2, 2026 at his home in Las Cruces, New Mexico unexpectedly, but of natural causes. His family is grateful for the efforts of the first responders.

He was born on March 21, 1947 in Detroit, Michigan to Loren A. and Elsie S. (Boyko) Wagner, was raised in the upstairs apartment of his father’s funeral home, and was graduated from Detroit Denby High School. He continued his education at Wayne State University in Detroit, intending to be an accountant, but after 3 years, transferred to the Detroit Police Academy. After completing the academy, he began as a Neighborhood Police Officer, walking the night shift beat in the downtown Campus Martius section, and quickly moved up through the ranks, being promoted to Sergeant and then Lieutenant at a younger age than most.

He was deployed for a few years working undercover, taking on the alter ego of “Larry”, later established Detroit’s first gang-unit, and eventually became a detective – but a well-tailored detective – no “plain clothes” for him. He retired after thirty years of unwavering passion about leading his profession to high standards, and a love for his hometown.

Being a son of Loren A. Wagner, Loren E. was pre-ordained to be a lifelong Lutheran, and was raised in the Our Saviour Lutheran Church in Detroit. After retirement, and a move to New Mexico, he became a member of another Lutheran congregation, the Cross of Christ Lutheran Church, straying just slightly to the Wisconsin Synod. He was a member of the Detroit Police Lieutenants and Sergeants Association.

After moving to New Mexico, Loren joined another first responder unit, the local fire department, successfully mustering the physical strength and fortitude to keep-up with the 20-year-old recruits in training, and then accepting a desk position, using his original interest in accounting and organization. He also found in Las Cruces a like-minded group of “Romeo”s: Retired Old Men Eating Out, of which he was an active participant. When active on the PD, he helped fellow officers who had young families, by working on Christmas, and in Las Cruces he volunteered at the Christmas Day soup kitchen.

In the early 1970s, Loren was visiting family in Huntington, West Virginia, where he met Shirley LaVonne Elkins. A long-distance romance ensued, and on August 4, 1974 at Our Saviour Church in Detroit he was married to Shirley. She took a liking to Detroit, and the profession, eventually becoming a sworn officer herself. Just as Loren had, Shirley served in a challenging precinct – from which even police cars were stolen – and was promoted to Sergeant and Lieutenant.

They enjoyed rustic tent camping and campfire cookery, sometimes in Shirley’s home state of “West – by God – Virginia”, but more often in Michigan State Parks, and across the border in Canada. At the other end of the traveling spectrum, they enjoyed cruise ships, visiting all of the Caribbean, and some of the west coast, but finding a favorite destination in Alaska.

Loren and Shirley had a fondness for dogs, always having one or two at home. They enjoyed nicknames, Loren being known as “Wags” (from “Wagner”), and Shirley, “The Elk” (“Elkins”); although Loren often added “Daddy Wags”, “Crime Fighter Loren”, and “the thin blue line between you and anarchy”. (Family members enjoyed using the undercover alter ego, “Larry”, but something about that challenging mission led Loren to firmly renounce use of that name for him.)

Shirley preceded Loren in death on March 2, 2018, (eight years to the day of Shirley’s death) having celebrated the remarkable forty-third anniversary of their wedding, although Loren tended to add a couple of years of courtship, contending that he had spent 45 years “UtPoaSW” – Under the Power of a Single Woman.

Loren always appreciated his family, visiting often with his brothers; and after the death of Shirley, he became quite prolific in written correspondence with his cousins, nieces and nephews, including exchanging birthday cards and gifts. One of those cards to Loren included a balsa wood kit for an airplane, which was prominently displayed – and often flown – in his living room.

Loren will be greatly missed by family and friends. Surviving family includes his brothers, David O. (& Penny) Wagner, Ph.D. of Detroit, and the Reverend Eugene F. (& Lois) Wagner of Cassopolis, Michigan; nieces and nephews, Kathleen “Kate” (& Tony) Cavataio, Nathaniel (& Kathryn “Kate”) Wagner, Allison (& Stephen) Hagy, Nicole Smith, Kevin (& Adrian) Wagner, Elizabeth (& Michael) Findlay, Dennis (& Kristina) Brown, and Aimee (& Rob) Kindry; great-nieces and nephews Noah, Vincenzo, Natalia, Antonino, William, Adeline, Markus, Mikaela, Monique, Tristan, Ayla, Elsie, Luke, Ephraim, Ezekiel (those four affectionally referring to Loren as “Gruncle” for Great Uncle), Izzy, Evelyn, and Alex; and the great-great generation of Asher, Harlow, and Jupiter.

Services for Loren E. Wagner in Las Cruces will be at the Cross of Christ Lutheran Church, 2540 El Paseo Road, on a date and at a time to be announced after Lent and Holy Week. Family and friends will gather in the Detroit area on Tuesday, March 17, from 11:00 a.m. until time of service at 12 Noon in the Faulman and Walsh Golden Rule Funeral Home, 32814 Utica Road, Fraser, Michigan, followed by honors rendered by the Detroit Police Department. Loren will be laid to rest with his beloved wife Tuesday, March 17, 2026 at 2:00 p.m. in Forest Lawn Cemetery 11851 Van Dyke Avenue, Detroit.

Contributions in memory of Loren Wagner may be made to either Cross of Christ Lutheran Church, 2540 South El Paseo Road, Las Cruces, New Mexico 88001, or Salvation Army Halfway House of Las Cruces, 1590 California Avenue, Las Cruces, New Mexico, 88001. Arrangements were completed by Loren’s brother, Eugene at Wagner Family Funerals Connelly Chapel, 202 North Broadway Street, Cassopolis, Michigan, 49031. Memories and condolences may be left online at:

www.wagnercares.com

Every sworn officer needs a natural attribute for noticing details which most folks never see. Loren clearly bore that attribute, and learned to use it well, taking notes, investigating leads, and giving prosecutors everything that they needed. He continued to carry a notebook, learning every day about everything around him. His greatest pleasure was knowing what was happening in the lives of those around him, perhaps moving from curiosity to caring for the neighbors and the ‘Romeos”; and affection for his brothers, and especially those generations of nieces and nephews