grave import

Obituary

Richard "Dick" Lyman Wagner, 76, of Burlington, died at 7:25 a.m. Tuesday, July 20, 2010, at Blair House Nursing and Rehab in Burlington. Born May 11, 1934, in Burlington, he was the son of Lyman Arthur and Marie R. Friedmann Wagner. Mr. Wagner coached baseball at high schools in Cantril, Deep River, and Wayland, and was athletic director of Burlington High School for 31 ½ years, retiring in 1992. His accomplishments included seven state tournament appearances for Burlington High School, where the team was state champion in both 1973 and 1975, and under his coaching Burlington had an 11-year high school record of 393 wins and 86 losses. He graduated from Burlington High School in 1952 and Burlington Junior College in 1954. He earned a bachelor's degree in business at Parsons College in Fairfield in 1956, and a master's degree in business at Mankato State College in 1960. He was one of the charter organizers of Burlington Little League, and named one of the league's original four managers while a senior in high school. He was also one of the charter organizers of the Burlington Babe Ruth League. He was awarded the Lyle T. Quinn Award in 1990, the highest honor given by the state athletic association, Nations High School Baseball Coach of the Year in 1975, Iowa's Coach of the Year in 1971 and 1975, and the Cap Timm President's Award, the highest honor given by the Iowa High School Baseball Coaches Association, in 1993. He served as past president, treasurer, and was a permanent member of Board of Directors of the Iowa High School Baseball Coaches Association. He served as past chairman of the seven-state regional high school division for the American Association of College Baseball Coaches. He served as a director of publicity for Midwest Professional Baseball League in 1977 and 1978. He was chairman of the Mississippi Athletic Conference Athletic Directors from 1980 to 1981 and from 1987 to 1988. He was named television color announcer for the 1976 and 1977 state championship high school baseball games for Iowa Public Broadcasting Network. The athletic facility at Burlington High School was named "Wagner Field" in 1982, and the athletic facility at Waco High School in Wayland was named "Dick Wagner Field" in 1990. He enjoyed hosting parties for others, and shared his retirement home near the Des Moines River for athletic events and BHS science field trips. Survivors include cousins. He was preceded in death by his parents. Visitation will be from noon to 8 p.m. Friday at Lunning Chapel in Burlington. The funeral for Mr. Wagner will be at 1 p.m. Saturday at the Carl C. Johannsen Gymnasium, with the Rev. Mike Shea and Marc Royer officiating. Burial will be in Aspen Grove Cemetery in Burlington. Memorials have been established for Burlington Education Foundation and Notre Dame Foundation.