Ron Wogaman

At Promenade Along The Rockies, 1985

Ronald Wayne Wogaman
05 May 1950 - 23 Mar 1991

Clubs & Associations

Obituary

Ron Wogaman
WEST ALEXANDRIA, Ohio — Ron Wogaman, 40, of New York City, former of West Alexandria, died March 23 in New York City.

He was a 1968 graduate of Twin Valley South High School and graduated with a bachelor's degree in anthropology from University of Arizona. He also received a master's degree in anthropology from University of Arkansas and received a master's degree in museum education from George Washington University. He had been director of education at Oakland Museum in Oakland, Calif., and was the director of education at South Street Seaport Museum in New York City. He was preceded in death by his father, Robert Wogaman in 1974.

survivors include his mother, Bernice Wogaman of West Alexandria; one brother, Bob Wogaman of Albuquerque, N.M.; one sister, Joyce Utsinger of West Alexandria; nieces and nephews.

Memorial service will be at 11 a.m. Saturday, at Lindloff-Zimmerman Funeral Home in West Alexandria with the Rev. J. Herman Bassler officiating. Memorial contributions may be made to Salem Lutheran Church in West Alexandria.^[1]

Ron Wogaman
Ron Wogaman, a former resident of the Bay Area, died of AIDS in New York City on March 23.

He became ill in August of 1987, but remained active until a few weeks before his death. In recent years he visited Europe, Japan, and seemed to be always criss-crossing the continent to visit his friends in San Francisco and elsewhere.

Ron came to the Bay Area in 1980 to work at the Oakland Museum after earning his N.A. and M.A. degrees in anthropology and an additional M.A. in museum education. At Oakland he supervised the history department's educational programs. Ron was also responsible for creating a small permanent exhibit on gay and lesbian culture, which is still on view in the Oakland Museum today. It was the first, and remains the only, such exhibit on display in a major american museum.

In 1986 Ron was named director of education at New York's South Street Seaport Museum, a post he left in early 1988 due to his illness.

He is survived by his mother, Bernice; and his brother and sister, Bob and Joyce. He will always be remembered by his friends in the Bay Area, especially Bob, Barbara and Susan, whose love provided him with strength.^[2]

RONALD WOGAMAN
Ronald Wogaman, former director of education at the South Street Seaport Museum, died on March 23 at New York University Medical Center, He was a resident of Manhattan. The cause of death was AIDS.

Wogaman was born on May 5, 1950, in West Alexandria, Ohio. He received, among other degrees, a master's in Museum Education from George Washington University in 1982.

In 1980, Wogaman joined the staff of the Oakland Museum, Oakland, Calif., as head of education for the museum's history division. While there, he introduced a variety of innovative programs and was responsible for creating a small but symbolic exhibit featuring gay and lesbian artifacts. It was the first such permanent exhibit in a major museum. In 1986, Wogaman joined the staff of the South Street Seaport Museum, which he left, due to illness, in 1988. Wogaman was also active in the Ame2Can Association of Museums' EducationiCommittee and served as an officer from 1Q86 to 1987.

Wogaman's companion was David M. Kahn, executive director of the Brooklyn Historical Society. Wogaman is survived by his mother, Bernice, his sister, Joyce Utsinger, both of West Alexandria; and a brother, Robert, of Albuquerque.

A memorial service will be held at the Oakland Museum on a date to be announced. —David M. Kahn^[3]