John Mager

A Celebration of Life Memorial is being held on the EWU Campus at Hargreaves Hall on Saturday, April 25, 2026, at 11 am, with friends, colleagues, and students all welcome to attend. All weekend parking on campus is free. John Mager, EWU Professor Emeritus, passed away on November 18, 2025, after courageously battling MS for 40 years. He was born in Linz, Austria in 1950 and immigrated to the US with his parents in 1956. He grew up in Glendale, California, and graduated with a degree in Business from Cal State Northridge. A few years later, he went on to get his MS and PHD in Marketing from the University of Oregon; graduating in 1986. He first taught at Utah State University before returning to the Pacific Northwest in 1987, where he taught both graduate and undergraduate courses at Eastern’s School of Business from 1987 until 2009, when he retired Professor Emeritus. He is survived by his wife, Bonnie Mager; daughter, Caroline, and her husband Rick Wallingford; son, Justin, and his wife, Eileen Mager; son, Jacob Mager; grandchildren, Marion Mager-Reeser, Damien Mager-Reeser, Kai, and Emma Mager; Lexi Wallingford and Kaitlyn Wallingford; mother Franziska Mager; sister, Elfriede Salisbury; niece, Liz Hopman and her husband Ian Hopman and their daughter Heidi. He was a life-long learner who had a passion for research as well as teaching and passed that on to many of his students. He loved EWU and being a part of its community and was very pleased when two of his three children and his granddaughter all became Eagles. He was a lover of life and ran marathons, hiked, swam, and went on adventures as long as he physically could. After MS prevented him from enjoying those activities, he still continued to spend time outdoors, both at home and at the lake with his family, and drank black coffee each morning while listening to NPR. He is deeply missed by his family and friends, but his legacy continues on through the work he contributed, the lives he touched, a brick along the pathway to Showalter Hall, and a memorial tree to be planted near Sutton Hall, where he worked. In lieu of flowers, the family would ask that you contribute to the “John Mager Scholarship Fund” being set up to continue his legacy.

John Mager

August 2, 1950 - November 18, 2025