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Note: My father, James Richard "Jim" Waggener Jr., was born in Detroit, Michigan on October 23, 1920. He was my grandparent's second oldest child, and the first one born to them after my grandfather returned from World War I. A couple of years later, the family moved to Royal Oak, Michigan, which was about 10-12 miles north of Detroit. During the Great Depression of the early 1930's, my grandparents were apparently unable to care for so many children, and sent several of their children away to live with different relatives. Jim lived for a while with his mother's brother William Henderson in Hollywood, California. He attended Hollywood High School there for at least one year. I think he also lived briefly with one or more of his father's sisters. He returned to Royal Oak and finished high school there in what must have been 1937 or 1938. After high school, he worked for a while for the Western Electric Company. In 1942, a few months after the U.S. entered World War II, he joined the U.S. Navy. He was initially a member of the Navy Seabees, and was based in the Aleutian Islands in Alaska. I remember that he used to talk about the fierce storms with the "Will-o-wisp" winds, and the huge Kodiak Bears. All in all, I don't think he was too fond of his assignment in Alaska. He took the test to become an officer, and was accepted into the "V-12" program for commissioned officers. This program involved him being allowed to attend the college of his choice. He chose Harvard and was accepted. He attended Harvard for 2 years, and was commissioned an Ensign, several months before the war ended. Among his classmates at Harvard was the future Senator, Robert Kennedy. Jim finished the war in an assignment as a Supply Officer in the Philippines. After the war he remained in the Naval Reserve for almost 20 years. He never did finish his college education, and I'm not sure why, because I believe he always regretted not doing so. Also after the war, Jim became an apprentice electrician. He basically worked the rest of his career as a Journeyman Electrician, although I'm not sure he was completely happy with that either. In the early 1960's, he tried to start a business of dredging peat moss out of Michigan lakes. This failed through an apparent combination of bad luck and poor people skills. He ended up having to sell the dredge he had built, after only a short time of actual dredging. Also after the war, Jim met and on October 7, 1950, married Gloria Joyce Sturman, in Detroit. They lived next door to the home of Jim's parents, at 227 E. 12 Mile Road, Royal Oak, Michigan. In 1964 they sold the property and moved to 2022 N. Vermont, Royal Oak, Michigan. They raised 6 children, born between 1951 and 1962. In the mid-1960's, Jim tried to start another company called Soilganics, a sort of off-shoot from all he had learned from the dredging business. He was going to sell soil products like peat moss, and provide information about improving soils and growing various kinds of plants. It was an idea that was probably 15-20 years ahead of it's time. In the process of trying to get the business going, he had what I believe was a nervous breakdown. He never really recovered from this, and was never really the same person. He was diagnosed with Manic-Depressive Disease, or what is now called Bi-Polar Disorder. He was actually one of the first subjects with this disorder to be given Lithium for it. The Lithium actually seemed to work with him, but unfortunately he wouldn't take the Lithium regularly. Jim worked irregularly for the next 10-15 years. Although he was subsequently able to retire more or less comfortably with the Electrical Workers Local #58's retirement, the last 20-25 years of his life were quite turbulent. In the early 1980's he and Gloria divorced. He literally dropped dead of a heart attack on May 16, 1992. His remains were cremated, but were later buried near his parent's in the St. Patrick's Parish Cemetery in Carleton, Monroe County, Michigan. Rick Waggener ================ From the 1930 Federal Census of Royal Oak City, Royal Oak Township, Oakland County, Michigan, taken April 9, 1930, district 63-107, sheet 4B, household #399, address- 319 Houstonia Avenue; from ancestry.com, image #18 of 29. Jim is listed in the household of his parents: ------ James R. Jr.; son, male, age- 9, in school, born- Michigan, father born- Missouri, mother born- Michigan ================ From Polk's Directory of Royal Oak and Ferndale, Oakland County, Michigan, 1938; page 838: Waggener, James R. Jr.; student, resides 247 E. 12 Mile Rd ================ From the 1940 Federal Census of Royal Oak City, Oakland County, Michigan, district 63-145, sheet 26a, taken April 29, 1940, address- 247 E. 12 Mile Rd. Jim is listed in the household of his parents: ----- James; son, male, age- 19, single, not is school, highest grade of school- 4th year high school, born- Michigan, residence in 1935- same house, not currently employed, seeking work, occupation- new worker, worked 0 weeks in 1939/ earned $12 ================ From National Archives at College Park; College Park, Maryland, United States; Muster Rolls of U.S. Navy Ships, Stations, and Other Naval Activities, 01/01/1939 - 01/01/1949; Record Group: 24, Records of the Bureau of Naval Personnel, 1798 - 2007; Series ARC ID: 594996; Series MLR Number: A1 135: Name: James R Waggener Junior Ship, Station or Activity: Wharton Ship Number or Designation: AP-7 Muster Date: 9 Jan 1943 ------------------------ Name: James Richard Waggener Junior Ship, Station or Activity: Greyhound Ship Number or Designation: IX-106 Muster Date: 9 Aug 1943 ================ From Ancestry.com. Michigan, Marriage Records, 1867-1952 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2015: Name: James Richard Waggener Jr Gender: Male Race: White Birth Year: abt 1921 Birth Place: Detroit, Michigan Marriage Date: 7 Oct 1950 Marriage Place: Detroit, Oakland, Michigan, USA License County: Oakland Age: 29 Residence Place: Royal Oak, Michigan Father: James Richard Waggener Mother: Mary Adelaide Henderson Spouse: Gloria Joyce Sturman Spouse Gender: Female Spouse Race: White Spouse Age: 25 Spouse Birth Place: Detroit, Michigan Spouse Residence Place: Birmingham, Michigan Spouse Father: Raymond Charles Sturman Spouse Mother: Margaret E Knechtges County File Number: 2301 State File Number: 63 45354 Film: 185 Film Title: 63-Oakland 42770-46059 Film Description: Oakland (1949 - 1951) =============== From the Polk's City Directory of Royal Oak and Ferndale for 1950; page 833: Waggener, Jas. R. (Gloria) electrician; home 227 E. 12 Mile Rd. ================ From the Polk's City Directory of Royal Oak, Michigan, 1953: Waggener, Jas R Jr (Gloria J) electrician, house 227 E. 12 Mile Rd. ================ From the Polk's City Directory of Royal Oak for 1955, page 277: Waggener, Jas R Jr. (Gloria) electrician; Local 58 (Detroit); house 227 E. 12 Mile Road. (Jim's parents and four siblings are listed next door at 247 E. 12 Mile Rd: Jerry, John (Jack) Margaret, and Robert. - RW) ================ From Ancestry.com. U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2015: Name: James Richard Waggener Jr [James R Waggener Jr] SSN: 376162225 Gender: Male Race: White Birth Date: 23 Oct 1920 Birth Place: Detroit, Michigan Death Date: 16 May 1992 Father: James R Waggener Mother: Mary A Henderson Type of Claim: Original SSN. Notes: Oct 1939: Name listed as JAMES RICHARD WAGGENER JR; 21 May 1992: Name listed as JAMES R WAGGENER =============== I found the following obituary in The Daily Tribune newspaper, dated Tuesday, May 19, 1992: James Waggener, Jr. James R. Waggener Jr., 71, of Pleasant Ridge, died Saturday, May 16, 1992, at his home. He was born Oct. 23, 1920, in Detroit. Mr. Waggener was an electrician with the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, Local 58. He served in the U.S. Naval Reserves during World War II. Visitation 6-9 p.m. Wednesday at the A.J. Desmond and Sons Funeral Home, 2600 Crooks Road, Troy; service 11 a.m. Thursday at the funeral home with the Rev. Robert Tewes officiating; private cremation at Oakview Cemetery, Royal Oak. ================ From Michigan Department of Vital and Health Records. Michigan Death Index, 1971-96 [database on-line] Provo, UT: Ancestry.com, 1998: Surname: WAGGENER JR Given Name: James Initial: R Sex: Male Day of Birth: 23 Month of Birth: October Year of Birth: 1920 Day of Death: 16 Month of Death: May Year of Death: 1992 City of Residence: Pleasant Ridge County of Residence: Oakland State of Residence: Michigan City of Death: Pleasant Ridge County of Death: Oakland State of Death: Michigan Death Certificate No.: 029782 =============== Jim's ashes are buried next to his parents in the newest cemetery of the St. Patrick's Parish Church in Exeter Township, Monroe County, Michigan. His headstone reads: James R Waggener Jr Lt US Navy World War II Sept 23, 1920 May 16, 1992
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