Robert Wagner,a social worker passionate about helping people with mental illnesses, died August 12, 2019, at age 86. After fighting in the Korean war, he graduated from Medill and then earned his AM in social work from the University of Chicago in 1963. He married Barbara Wagner in 1961, and they had a son and daughter.

Wagner worked with students with developmental disabilities at Dixon State School and with the geriatric population at Manteno State Hospital as an Illinois Department of Mental Health employee. He later established Annex House, a halfway house for adults recovering from mental illness. In his retirement Wagner enjoyed painting and writing, especially poetry. His wife said his poetry often reflected his experiences as a social worker. He is survived by his wife, children, grandchildren, and nieces and nephews.