Richard S. "Dick" Wagner

Richard S. "Dick" Wagner, age 90, of Orrville, passed away peacefully surrounded by family on Friday, May 9, 2025, at The Inn at Walnut Trail in Sunbury, following a period of declining health.
Dick was born on October 27, 1934, in Youngstown, Ohio, to the late Hiram and Pauline (Spellman) Wagner and graduated from Poland Seminary High School with the class of 1952. He went on to further his education at The Ohio State University where he was a member of Sigma Chi and from which he obtained a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration in 1956 and his Bachelor of Laws degree and his Juris Doctorate in 1958. He married Marguerite Mershimer on August 17, 1957, in Poland, Ohio. Marguerite passed away on February 9, 2022.
In 1958, Dick joined the Orrville law firm of Kropf, Lindamood & Howells. In 1961, he became a partner and was admitted to practice in the Federal courts in 1964. During Dick's career with Kropf Wagner Law Firm LLP, he was admitted to practice before the Supreme Court of Ohio, the U.S. Supreme Court, the Federal District Court and several other courts. Dick went of counsel at the firm in 2010 and fully retired in 2016. Dick had a reputation in the community and local bar association as a hard-working, meticulous legal practitioner. He was known to be a diligent, straight-talking attorney, who zealously represented his clients' interests and took the charge to provide quality, competent professional services very seriously. His staff knew to put everything in draft form because Dick was a perfectionist and would review his work product multiple times before it would be finalized. His favorite saying at the office was, "Proofreading is not a sin." In 2023, Dick had the honor of swearing in Wayne County Common Pleas Court Judge Timothy R. VanSickle and The Ohio Bar Association Recognized Wagner as a 65-Year Practitioner. Dick quipped that he could accurately type 20 words per minute when he accepted recognition for his long service as a legal practitioner.
Dick was a member of the Ohio and Wayne County Bar Associations. Dick was elected as the City Solicitor and Law Director for the City of Orrville for 12 years, and served as a board member of the Orrville Savings Bank (later Savings Bank & Trust), where he was instrumental in establishing a trust department for that institution, and a director of the Will-Burt Company. Dick was also an active member of Trinity United Methodist Church, the Orrville Rotary Club, the Orrville Jaycees, the Orrville Chamber of Commerce, and was an Orrville Public Library Trustee. Dick was a founding member of the Wayne County Community Foundation, serving on the board of trustees for 30 years, helping to grow that organization from its initial donation of $1,000. Dick was instrumental in helping to secure endowments and charitable gift annuities for the Foundation, with a special passion for projects benefitting the Orrville area community.
Dick and Marguerite loved to travel, visiting familiar places and family or new and distant lands. Dick was an avid historian and adventurous outdoorsmen which influenced many of their travel destinations. Whether Dick was hunting in Wyoming, fishing in Canada, or on the beach in Pompano, his charismatic personality and quick joking wit would enrich relationships and earn him new life long friends wherever he went.
Surviving are three children, Richard (Barbara) Wagner II of Loveland, Ohio, Dr. Douglas (Rebecca) Wagner of Granville, Ohio, and Katherine (Matthew) Wince of Sunbury, Ohio; ten grandchildren, Michael (Rachel) Wagner, Connor Wagner, Caroline Wagner, Caitlin (William) Zillman, Andrew (Madeline) Wagner, Samuel (fiancée Christine Walsh) Wagner, Olivia (Luke) Peterson, Elijah Wince, Isaiah Wince, and Evelyn Wince; 2 great grandchildren with 3 more expected in May, June, and November; a sister, Susan (Jim) Hanes of Longboat Key, FL; and several nieces and nephews.
In addition to both his parents and his loving wife of 64 years, Marguerite, he was preceded in death by his sister, Muriel P. Wagner and nephew, Bradford J. Hanes.
Calling hours are on Friday, May 30, 2025 at Trinity United Methodist Church, 1556 Rex Drive, Orrville, from 4:00 pm to 7:00 pm.
Services will be held at 11:00 am on Saturday, May 31, 2025 at the church, with Pastor Kristen Buchs officiating. Burial will take place at the Crown Hill Cemetery in Orrville.
Memorials may be made to Trinity United Methodist Church, 1556 Rex Drive, Orrville, OH 44667, orrvilletrinity.com, Wayne County Community Foundation, 517 North Market Street, Wooster, OH 44691, waynecountycommunityfoundation.org, Orrville Area Boys & Girls Club, 820 N. Ella Street, Orrville, OH 44667, oabgc.org.