Julia B. (Bottum) Wager

Shushan, NY – Julia Bottum Wager, 90, of Shushan died Thursday, August 3, 2023.  Born July 13, 1933 she was the daughter of Harold (Happy) and Ferieda Bottum of Arlington Vermont.  Julia grew up in Arlington where she could always be found helping out at the inn her parents founded then known as the Colonial Inn (now the Arlington Inn).  Julia had a lifelong passion and talent for art.  Following graduation from Pratt Institute in Brooklyn where she studied illustration she married her dashing devoted and loving husband of 53 years, Fredrick William (Bill) Wager.  She began her career as an illustrator for the Schenectady Gazette and later after Bill’s graduation from Union College they moved back to his home town of Shushan raising their children on the family homestead property.

Julia loved time spent in her studio that she and Bill built on to their home and for several years she gave decorative art classes there.

She and husband Bill enjoyed extensive travel often visiting friends in Continental Europe, the UK and New Zealand. They also enjoyed hundreds of hours flying their Cessna, taking off for trips, flying for a lunch date or just taking the grandchildren for flights.  Julia had an adventurous spirit flying solo, cruising on her motorcycle and riding through the local area on horseback.

Left to cherish her memory are her two daughters and their husbands; Linda and Keith Herron of South River NJ, and Karen and Roland Hall of Shushan NY; a brother-in-law and sister-in-law, Peter and Jean Wager; and her three cherished grandchildren Camden Leigh and husband Jawad Azam, MacKenzie Campbell Dumas and fiancé Jake Mainville, Eric William Dumas and partner Rachel Castledine; as well as several nieces and nephews.

In addition to her parents Julia was predeceased by her husband Bill in 2007 and her brother Ernest Bottum in 2020.

A memorial service will be held on Friday, August 18, 2023 at 3:30 pm at the Shushan United Methodist Church in Shushan with Rev. Carol Finke officiating.  A reception will be at Julia’s home following the service.

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