Obituary for Alfred Wagner Alfred Carl “Al” Wagner, 86, of Marlboro, NJ, passed away Thursday, December 6, 2018 at the Signature Healthcare At College Park in Fort Myers, FL. Alfred was born on February 5, 1932 in Brooklyn, NY. After serving in the Marine Corps, he attended Wagner Lutheran College, Staten Island, NY.
, graduating in 1958 and began his first professional theatre engagement as Designer Stage Manager for a summer theatre on Long Island where he met his future wife, Carole Sutton. They were married the next year and lived in Pittsburgh, PA where he worked in the theatre at the University of Pittsburgh while pursuing a graduate degree in theatre at Carnegie Tech. In 1961 the Wagner’s moved to Staten Island where he began teaching theatre at Wagner College while completing his Master’s Degree in Educational Theatre at N.Y.U. In 1973 they moved to Matawan, NJ and created theatre programs at Cross of Glory Lutheran Church and subsequently at The First Presbyterian Church of Matawan.
Continuing at Wagner College, he became the Director of Instructional Media Services and finished his teaching career 34 years later in 1995 as an Assistant Professor of Education. In 1996, the Wagner’s retired to Cape Coral, FL, where they worked together at the Cultural Park Community Theatre until Carole’s death in 2003. From 1947, theatre was his avocation for 60+ years.
He designed sets and/or lighting for over 460 productions, including directing over more than 120 of them in seven seasons of summer theatre, off Broadway, the N.Y Equity Library Theatre, WQED-TV, on the staffs of the University of Pittsburgh, N.Y.U., Wagner College, and for numerous church, community, dance, and opera theatres. He was the Managing Director of Chi-Rho Company, a touring repertory religious theatre group for 12 years. He was the Artistic Director of the First Avenue Playhouse in Atlantic Highlands, NJ for 7 years while supervising a new production every month for 7 years.
He most recently was the Director of the Drama Ministry at Burnt Store Presbyterian Church in Punta Gorda. Alfred is survived by a son and daughter in-law, Kirk and Jackie Wagner of Marlboro, NJ; a daughter, Cynthia Hosmer of San Jose, CA. ; and 4 grandchildren, Rebekka, Nate, Sara, and Tiffany.
Visitation will be held on Wednesday, December 12, 2018, from 3-7 pm at the Waitt Funeral Home, 501 Hwy. 79, Morganville, NJ. 07751.
Funeral services will be conducted on Thursday, December 13, 2018, at 10:00 am at the Waitt Funeral Home, 501 Hwy. 79, Morganville, NJ 07751. Burial will follow in the Restland Memorial Park Cemetery, 77 Deforest Ave.
, East Hanover, NJ 07936. Online condolences can be made at www. waittfh.com To send flowers or a memorial gift to the family of Alfred Wagner please visit our Sympathy Store.
Cemetery Details Rest Land Memorial Park East Hanover, , , Previous Events Visitation DEC 12. 3:00 PM – 7:00 PM Waitt Funeral Home 501 Highway 79 Morganville, NJ, US, 07751 Funeral Service DEC 13. 10:00 AM – 10:30 AM Waitt Funeral Home 501 Highway 79 Morganville, NJ, US, 07751 Burial DEC 13.
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