Albert James Vargo

1936 - 2019

Vargo, Albert James 83, passed away on July 31, 2019. He was born in Idamay, West Virginia on March 31, 1936. Following studies at St. Vincent College (Latrobe, Pennsylvania), he had a career in broadcast radio in Norfolk, Virginia (WAVY) and Wilmington, Delaware (WJBR). Upon his induction into the U.S. Army in 1961, he served six months at the Defense Language Institute and two years in Military Intelligence in Germany. After his discharge in 1963 he continued his education at the University of Munich, Wayne State University (Detroit) and the University of Michigan (Ann Arbor). In 1970 he joined the faculty of Wichita State University, where he taught German and linguistics until 1976. During 1976-1977 he and his family lived in Cologne, Germany, where Albert was a visiting instructor at the Neusprachliches Gymnasium Nippes. Returning to Wichita State in 1977, he established the Intensive English Language Center and later was instrumental in the establishment of the Office of International Admissions. He served as WSU's first Director of International Admissions, a position from which he retired in 1997. He loved to travel the world with his wife, Geraldine, and he enjoyed good music and good books. Preceded in death by his parents, Alexander and Veronica Vargo, and his sisters, Margaret Vargo Jozik and Irene Vargo Otto, he is survived by Geraldine, his loving wife of 57 years, his children Mark Vargo (wife Barbara and sons Alex, Barry and John) of Rapid City, Susan Howe (husband William) of Chicago, and Gregory Vargo (wife Kim Phillips-Fein and children Clara and Jonah) of New York City. Services will be held at a later date. In lieu of flowers donations may be made to the Newman Center at Wichita State University.