John Kirk Wageman

John Kirk Wageman, family man, educator, farmer, futurist, died Sunday, May 18, 2014 while on a business trip to Orlando, FL. He was born January 28, 1958 to E. John and Wava (Holzhey) Wageman. John grew up on the family farm near Yutan and carried his love for the farm with him throughout his life. He was an innovator and established a vineyard and nut orchard on his family's land. Gardening kept him connected to his agricultural roots. John graduated from Yutan High School in 1976 and was a testament to the community that raised him. He was awarded Bachelor's Degrees in Psychology and Economics from the University of Nebraska at Omaha, and earned an MBA from Bellevue University. His passion to teach and to share his knowledge with a new generation led him to become an Adjunct Professor at Bellevue University. John was a quiet, strong, and engaging man. He had a genuine interest in people and a desire to understand what motivated them. As a result, he was able to combine his interest in people and his passion for innovation, into a successful market research career. He was proud of his contributions to the companies he worked for throughout his life. His instincts as a futurist helped him to predict trends years before they came to fruition. These abilities were the foundation for his success at companies such as Telvent DTN, Infogroup, Mutual of Omaha, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Nebraska and Bellevue University. John is survived by his wife Lynda of Omaha; children Jonathan and Virginia Wageman, Cameron, Alexis, Calum and Emma Wageman; grandchildren Matilda and John Henry Wageman, all of Omaha; parents E. John and Wava Wageman of Yutan; brothers and sisters Ward (Emily) Wageman of Fremont, Susan (Joe) Vampola of Omaha, and Tom (Candie) Wageman of Ithaca.Memorial Services will be held at 11:30 am Thursday, May 29 at the Lutheran Church of the Master, West Campus, in Elkhorn. In lieu of flowers, memorials are requested to the John Wageman Memorial and Children's Education Fund.