Burton Allen Wagner was born on June 13th (Friday), 1941 in Milwaukee WI. He was raised in the Orthodox Jewish community of Milwaukee surrounded by a large extended family including his grandparents, many aunts and uncles and countless cousins. He learned Yiddish for his Bar Mitzvah so that he could give his speech in a language that his grandfather could understand.
He attended the University of Wisconsin (Madison) where he earned an undergraduate degree in accounting, a law degree, and somewhat later, a masters degree in public health. He attended college as a member of the ROTC and served as a Captain in the U.S. Army Finance Corps. He was deployed to Viet Nam, where he was awarded a Bronze Star for valor. Following his military service, he worked as a legal counsel for the University of Wisconsin and then as an administrator in the state of Wisconsin’s Health and Human Services. After his period of public service, he went into the private practice of law. He was a legal partner in multiple firms, and finished his formal legal career at Reinhart, serving as the managing partner of their Madison office for many years.
Burt’s area of expertise was healthcare law and he advised nursing homes, doctors, acupuncturists, and hospitals. He taught courses in the School of Nursing and in the Law School at the University of Wisconsin (Madison).
Burt met his future wife Georgia when they were fixed-up to meet at the “bubbler” near the Rathskeller. They married in 1964, and after Burt’s military service, settled in Madison, WI where they raised their two children. The family enjoyed playing games, notably Acquire, Bridge, and Sheepshead. Summers were often spent in the northwoods of WI on the shores of lake Shishebogama where Burt was an avid, if not always successful, fisherman.
Burt took up etching in his late 50’s and was a co-founder of the Crooked Line Etching studio, where he developed his craft. He enjoyed both the artistic and the technical sides of etching and developed his skills throughout his later life. His many etchings grace the walls of his family.
Burt battled stage 4 renal cell cancer for eight years and the family is grateful for the extraordinary care he received at the UW Carbone Cancer Center.
Burt is predeceased by his parents, Irwin and Jennie Wagner and by his brother Jerome. He is survived by his wife of 59 years, Georgia Olchoff Wagner, his two children Andrew E. Wagner (Elizabeth Powers) and Laura Wagner (Daniel Reynolds) and one grandson, Spencer Wagner.
A memorial service will be held on Tuesday, June 11th at 10:30 am at Temple Beth El, 2702 Arbor Drive, Madison, WI.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the UW Carbone Cancer Center (https://cancer.wisc.edu/giving/) or the Second Harvest Foodbank of Southern Wisconsin (https://www.secondharvestsw.org/) in his memory.
Cress Funeral & Cremation Service
3610 Speedway Road, Madison
(608) 238-3434
Make a donation to one of the following charities in remembrance of Burton Wagner
