The sisters and Holy Wisdom Monastery community are saddened by the sudden death of Dick Wagner on Dec. 13, 2021. He was a community servant and gay rights leader for decades in Madison and beyond. Click here to read his obituary.
At the monastery, Dick was a long-time member of Sunday Assembly. He championed LGBTQ+ rights and introduced many people to the monastery. He was involved in the monastery’s fundraising efforts and was a regular sponsor for many events. He wrote the case statement for the campaign to raise the money to purchase the 55 acres which is now Wisdom Prairie. After his first book, We’ve Been Here All Along Wisconsin’s Early Gay History (2019) came out, he gave a presentation to the Holy Wisdom community on Wisconsin’s gay history. He was a humble leader and a good friend to so many. Click here to read more about Dick Wagner
Click below to listen to radio interviews by Stu Levitan on WORT radio with Dick about each of his books.
December 20 – Madison Book Beat
December 27 – Madison Book Beat
A celebration of Dick’s life will take place at Holy Wisdom Monastery in the future when it is safe to gather.
To uplift Dick Wagner’s legacy, Holy Wisdom Monastery has set up a designated fund through the Benedictine Life Foundation, the Dick Wagner Memorial Fund for Justice.
Donations will foster efforts in equity, inclusion and social justice initiatives that Dick would have been proud to support.