Lori Bouza has been a resident of Wagner for the past 39 years. She has been a part of the Wagner community since 1985 when she took her first teaching position as an elementary teacher at the Wagner Community School. After having just graduated from the University of South Dakota with an elementary and special education degree, she had heard through friends Pam and Marge Weber that there was an opening at the Wagner school for an elementary teaching position. Lori was hired two weeks before the school year began. What was only supposed to be a one-year teaching job turned into a 34-year career for Lori.

Lori taught elementary education for 16 years before taking a different position as the pre-school administrator for 14 years. Before retiring from WCS, Lori was the assistant elementary principal and federal grant coordinator for four years. Her time at WCS was the most rewarding and her favorite job. She loved the families and the connections that she made with families and their children throughout her 34 years with the school. Even though she has not been able to keep in contact with all the children that have passed through her classroom or office, she enjoys being able to see and reconnect with the ones that she can. Lori feels that we as a community are so very blessed with the school that Wagner has and the amazing group of teachers that make up the faculty.

After retiring from WCS in 2018, Lori became a licensed EMT and started pet grooming on the side. What was supposed to be just a side job to keep Lori busy when she was not working as an EMT, quickly changed into a full-fledged business and Just Paws with Lori was created. Lori is the owner/ operator of the pet grooming, doggy daycare, and pet boarding business. When asked why she decided to get into dog grooming, she said it was an easy fit for her because of her love of animals and things just fell into place along with the demand for grooming and boarding services. Lori will board just about any household pets such as cats, dogs and even guinea pigs. Her business may not have any new products or services, but Lori is always learning and incorporating what she learns back into her business. Lori is constantly taking online courses and getting certifications to better hone in on her grooming skills. As a pet boarder and groomer, Lori’s advice to pet parents would be to make sure to keep up on vaccines and to use flea and tick prevention year-round.

Lori has always been a hard worker and driven; she started working at a very young age. Lori took her first job as a seventh grader at age 14. She was a waitress at a local pizza place. Without even telling her parents, who were not overjoyed when they first found out, Lori just went and found a job. This was her first legitimate job, but had previously worked walking beans. She worked her way through college working at one of the local bars.

Lori’s work ethic and dedication has also spilled over into her community service activities. Over the years, Lori has been a board member for the Boys & Girls Club, member of the child protection team, Communities That Care member, taught common sense parenting classes, volunteered for Feeding South Dakota, serves on her church board and is a member of the Coalition Against Sex Trafficking to name a few of the organizations that she has been a part of.

Lori was also a member of the Wagner National Guard 137th Engineer Battalion for 21 years. She has held numerous positions while a member of the National Guard including administration, armorer, and the family augmentation team. Being a part of the family augmentation team, she would travel to different deploying units and would handle all the paperwork to get soldiers ready for deployment. Lori was even a member of the military band, playing the bass clarinet. She had started warrant officer school in her 21st year, but decided after having some health issues that it was time to retire from the National Guard.

When asked as a long-time active member of the Wagner community what she would like to see Wagner do in the present and future, Lori said that she would like to see the housing situation in Wagner change. There are a lot of young people coming back to Wagner after college and teachers moving here, but Wagner does not have enough housing. Lori sees that if the community wants to keep people here, then there has to be affordable housing options available. She sees Wagner needing first time homeowner, elderly, and family housing options as soon as possible. Lori loves Wagner and the people of Wagner and would love to see more business development also.

One interesting thing that many people may not know is that Lori went to USD on an art scholarship. She eventually changed her major from art to education because of modern art and the way it focuses on the abstract not being an area that she was very interested in. Lori is originally from Arthur, Iowa which is a very small town with a population of less than 300 people in the northwestern part of the state.

Lori and her husband Jim have been married since 1990. They have four children Justin, Jade, Jon and Josi. Justin and his wife, Ruth, are currently running Bouza’s Construction in Wagner and are in the process of buying the business. Jade is active Air Force and is located in New Jersey where she is currently teaching anti-terrorism to military personnel. Jon and Brooke live in Wagner and Jon works for Bouza’s Construction. Josi teaches military science for ROTC at South Dakota State University. Lori has four grandchildren Michael, Timothy, Historia and Mira and one great grandchild, Michael. When Lori has free time, she enjoys reading, crocheting, baking, and spending time with her family. She is also an avid animal lover and has many horses and her three dogs: Trouble, a German Shepard; Roscoe a silver dapple dachshund; and Bratwurst a shaded red dachshund.

Lori would like to thank Wagner; it has been a wonderful place that has given her an amazing life. She is forever grateful for the outstretched arms that welcomed her into the community and the wonderful people that make this town such a great place to live. Although she enjoys the community events, it is the simple things such as going to the grocery store and bumping into people that Lori most looks forward to.

The Wagner community has been forever changed for the better because of wonderful community members like Lori. Lori has definitely left and continues to leave her mark on Wagner. Avid volunteer, business owner, former school administrator, licensed EMT, retired national guardsman and an all-around amazingly kind, humble and beautiful person. If you have had the pleasure of meeting Lori then you know what I am talking about and if you have not, Lori is definitely someone in Wagner that is worth taking the time to get to know.

Thank you, Lori, for your service and for all that you have done and continue to do in the Wagner community.