Obituary of Val R. Wagner

Val R. Wagner Val R. Wagner of Mantoloking, NJ died on Thursday, December 19, 2019, at Sunnyside Manor in Wall Township, NJ. He was 95. Born in Cleveland, OH, son of the late G. William and Marjorie Cook Wagner, he was formerly of Lower Makefield Township, PA and has resided in Mantoloking for the past 22 years. Following graduation from Mercersburg Academy in 1943, Val entered the US Navy V12 program, receiving his midshipman training at Northwestern and Princeton Universities. He served in the Navy for three years during and after World War II, receiving an honorable discharge in May of 1946. Val returned to continue his studies at Princeton University, where he was a member of Cottage Club and was elected to the Society of Sigma Xi for outstanding scientific research. He played football for Princeton for three seasons and was awarded the Poe Cup in 1948, an award recognizing not only the player's athletic ability, but also his perseverance, courage, fairness and good moral character. Val graduated from Princeton in 1949, although he retained association with his original Class of 1947. Val began his business career with Sun Oil Company in New York City. In the 1950's, he joined the Philadelphia office of Smith, Kline and French in its pharmaceutical research division. He subsequently moved to American Hoechst Corporation, later named Hoechst-Celanese, retiring in the mid-1990's as Director of Research Administration. Val served on the Class of '47 Executive Committee for several years and was a member of the Bay Head Yacht Club for decades. He is survived by his wife, Mary Ann Harman Wagner; his son and daughter-in-law, Val H. and Megan Wagner of Madison, NJ; his daughter, Bonne W. Rawley of Lawrenceville, NJ, and five grandsons, David Rawley, John Rawley, Clark Wagner, Cole Wagner, and Val H. Wagner, Jr. Funeral services will be held at 11am Friday December 27, 2019 at the Ewing Presbyterian Church, 101Scotch Road, Ewing, NJ, where friends may call from 10:30am. Burial will follow in the church cemetery.