Georgia Wagner

Georgia Wagner was born on May 14th, 1943 in Des Moines, IA. She attended the University of Wisconsin (Madison) where she earned a B.S. degree in history. After both her children were in school full time, she went back to the U.W. and also earned an M.A. in landscape architecture. She worked for the State of Wisconsin in the coastal management program and at the WI state capitol before beginning a long-term career as an administrator at the University of Wisconsin. She worked in the school of nursing but spent most of her career as a graduate advisor, first in the department of Economics and later in the department of Limnology and Water Chemistry. At both departments, she provided support and advice to generations of graduate students.

Georgia met her future husband Burton on a blind date during her college years. They married in 1964, and settled in Madison, WI, where they raised their two children. Georgia volunteered for various charitable organizations and had a wide range of hobbies and interests; her home contained many items she had sewed and knitted, as well as the paperweights she collected. Burton and Georgia also enjoyed traveling around the U.S., when they were not enjoying the lakes of northern Wisconsin or the beaches of Florida.

Georgia had a wide circle of friends, and was active in many social groups, including her bridge group, her mahjongg group, and her book group. For many years, she regularly traveled with a circle of women that included her sister and friends from across different stages of her life. Highly extroverted, she enjoyed entertaining and hosted many dinners, including an annual Chanukkah celebration. 

Georgia developed several brain tumors over the past months and died peacefully at home. She is predeceased by her parents, Rita and Maurice Olchoff, and her sister Joyce Bernstein. Her husband of 59 years, Burton Wagner, died this past June. She is survived by her two children Andrew E. Wagner (Elizabeth Powers) and Laura Wagner (Daniel Reynolds) and one grandson, Spencer Wagner.

 A memorial service will be held on Monday, November 11th at 11am at Temple Beth El, 2702 Arbor Drive, Madison, WI. There will be a reception on the same day at 230 pm at Capitol Lakes, 333 W. Main St., Madison WI.

 In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Second Harvest Foodbank of Southern Wisconsin (https://www.secondharvestsw.org/) in her memory.

Cress Funeral & Cremation Service

3610 Speedway Road, Madison

(608) 238-3434

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