Melvin Eugene Waggoner of Lake Oswego, devoted husband, father, and grandfather and honored fundraising professional, passed away on August 29, 2010 following a brief illness.
Born July 7, 1934 in Livermore, CA to Melvin Jacob and Dorothy Grace Waggoner, Mel graduated from St. Patrick’s Seminary in Menlo Park, CA with a BA in Philosophy. He married the former Emogene Patten of Napa, and then joined the US Navy, serving as a member of the Explosives Ordinance Disposal team from 1957 to 1960.
After an early career in advertising, he joined public television station KCPQ in Tacoma. He chaired the Bicentennial Commission of Steilacoom and the Save Our Steilacoom committee, which saved dozens of historic homes from demolition and preserved the town’s waterfront from industrial development.
The Waggoners moved to Lake Oswego in 1980, and Mel joined Oregon Public Broadcasting as its grant writer in 1983. In 1988, he established OPB’s planned giving program and was named Director of Gift Planning in 1993.
Over the next nineteen years, until his retirement in 2007, OPB’s endowment rose from an initial gift of $186,000 to $14.5 million. During his tenure, OPB won the PBS Development Award for Planned Giving a record five times. In 2004, he was named PBS Development Professional of the Year, the first and so far only planned giving officer to earn that distinction.
He was well known to OPB radio and television audiences for his passionate delivery of fundraising appeals, but public stations throughout the country knew him for his advocacy of planned giving and pro bono station consulting, which has helped them raise millions of dollars.
He also volunteered his expertise to such local organizations as Three Rivers Land Conservancy and the Lake Oswego School District Foundation and served as MC and auctioneer at many fundraising events. He served as a board member of Northwest Photography Archive and Friends of the Lake Oswego Library, reflecting his passion for contemporary fiction to which he devoted his post-retirement years, establishing his own business, First Choice Books.
Mel is survived by the love of his life, Emogene, sons Steve and wife Tonya of Ohio, John and wife Kathy of Illinois, Tom and wife Jennifer of West Linn, and daughter Caren and husband Tony Moritz of Washington, seven grandchildren (Matt, Ruth, Sarah, Andrew, Amy, Nathan and Brian) who regarded “Naps” as their special pal, a sister, Diane Abate, and a brother, James Waggoner, both of Napa. His sister Carol Richied preceded him in death as did his little princess granddaughter, Emily.
A family burial was held at Riverview Cemetery. A celebration of Mel’s life will occur on Saturday, September 11, 3:00 pm at Oregon Public Broadcasting 7140 SW Macadam Avenue, Portland, Oregon.
The Family has requested that in lieu of flowers, Mel’s life be honored through memorial contributions to Oregon Public Broadcasting.
That’s the official word. Now a word from me:
I worked with Mel for nineteen years. Public broadcasting’s first major gift site, pg-now.org, was his inspiration. From the site came CPB’s majorgivingnow.org, which incorporates the planned giving material and more, growing out of Public TV’s Major Giving Initiative and Public Radio’s Leadership for Philanthropy.
Those who didn’t know Mel well, but have seen him at conferences, immediately mention the “passion” that he brought to his job. That’s the right word. But Mel was passionate about life and those he knew. Your successes were his successes, and he shared your disappointments and family tragedies.
Mel was one of a kind, and all who knew him will miss him. My best to Emmy and his wonderful kids and grandkids.
Jim,
We are very sorry for the loss of your friend…
Mel was our neighbor, he and Emogene live just across the street from us. Our time with Mel was cut way too short but we are grateful for the 9yrs. we did have together, sharing life and his wonderful laugh!
Thank you for sharing this blog so that other’s can have the chance to know who Mel was and is to soo many of us.