- Date Of Birth: February 10, 1932
- Date Of Death: September 20, 2014
- State: Nebraska
Ivan passed away September 20, 2014 at Heritage of Bel Air, Norfolk.
Ivan Eugene Waggoner was born February 10, 1932 at a farm home in Clarks, Nebraska, to Lydia (Fickwiler) Waggoner and Allen Waggoner. He attended Clarks Public Schools, graduating in May, 1951. During his freshman year at Clarks High School, he contracted polio. (He was 14 at the time.) Ivan spent 9 months at Douglas County Hospital Omaha, and several weeks in Warm Springs, Georgia. At those places, he learned to feed and dress himself, as well as to write, and walk again, because the polio left him with several disabilities.
As with all teenagers, a goal of his was to drive a car. He had to wait for a time but, he accomplished that goal when he was approximately 20.
After high school graduation, Ivan attended a business college in Grand Island. Upon finishing business school and getting a job, he married Marilyn J. Knox, of Grand Island, on November 5, 1955. To that marriage, one child, David K. Waggoner was born, March 21, 1964, Marilyn passed away of cancer, on March 24, 1968.
Before Marilyns death, Ivan started summer classes at Kearney State Teachers College in Kearney, Nebraska. He took classes in the summer and during the winter, taught in rural schools around the Grand Island area for the 13 years it took to get his Bachelors Degree (Lots of patience.)
After finishing his Bachelors degree, he felt the nudge to continue on and graduated with a Masters Degree from Kearney State College in school administration in May, 1970.
While at Kearney, he met and married Carol ZumBrunnen Lubeck on May 22, 1970. Carol had one daughter, Janel Rene Lubeck, who was born February 16th, 1966, Janel was adopted by Ivan in 1972. To this marriage 3 sons were born, Scot Allen, May 20, 1971, Matt Eugene, November 2, 1972, and Brian Clarke, September 8, 1974.
During late May and early June 1970, Ivan, Carol, and family move to Norfolk, where Ivan had accepted an elementary principal at Bel Air Elementary. Ivan was employed as an elementary principal in Norfolk from 1970 until his retirement in May, l992. During that time, he served as principal at Bel Air, Northern Hills, Victory, and Lincoln Schools.
The family joined St Johns Lutheran Church in Norfolk in June, l970. Ivan has continued to be an active, faithful member. Among his activities, Ivan served on church council, call committees, and stewardship team. He sang in the choir and coordinated the fellowship hour.
Ivan was active in civic activities, also mens chorus and Kiwanis. He served as president of the Norfolk Senior Center Board for 16 years, until he resigned in July, 2014.
He is survived by his wife, Carol, 5 children, David of Gering, NE, Janel and her husband, Pete Keyes, of Grand Island, NE, Scot and his wife, Kris, of Edina, MN, Matt and his wife, Casey, of Aurora, CO, and Brian, and his wife, Lisa, of Bellevue, NE. Ivan has 8 of the best grandchildren.
Also surviving are his sister, Donna Hoffer, of Rio Del, California, her children Rosella, and Clayton, and their families, all in California.
Ivan was preceded in death by his first wife, father, mother, aunts, uncles, grandparents, and cousins.
