Robert E. Waggoner

ALTAMONTE SPRINGS, Fla. ? Robert E. ?Bob? Waggoner of Altamonte Springs, Florida, died at his home Sept. 7, 2015, from the effects of Parkinson?s disease.

Services were held at St. John Lutheran Church in Winter Park on Saturday, Sept. 19. Memorial donations may be made to the Rails to Trails Conservancy or to Lutheran Counseling Services.

Mr. Waggoner was born in Washington, Iowa, to Mildred and W. Franklin Waggoner. He married his wife Shirley in 1961.

He put himself through college at Iowa Wesleyan and was drafted to serve in the Korean War. Following graduate work in accounting, he was hired on as a traveling auditor for General Mills in Minneapolis, the beginning of a 30-plus year career with the company. In 1972, the family moved to central Florida after General Mills purchased Red Lobster. Mr. Waggoner continued his progression in finance, seeing General Mills restaurants through an exciting period of growth from a few seafood restaurants to the world?s largest casual dining company. He gave generously of his time and talents to numerous organizations, including the Darden Foundation, Orlando Science Center, Edyth Bush Charitable Foundation, Central Florida Community Foundation, Association to Preserve the Eatonville Community, and Lutheran Counseling Services. He was a member of St. John Lutheran Church. He was a mentor to many. He was known for his integrity, his dry sense of humor, his love for basketball and ice cream, and his commitment to doing the right thing, not necessarily the popular thing.

Mr. Waggoner is survived by his wife; his children, Mark Waggoner (Robyn Parnell) of Hillsboro, Oregon, Heidi (Barry) Metcalf of Orlando, Florida, his niece, Beth (Norman) Brooks of Crawfordsville, Iowa; four grandchildren; two brothers, Roger Waggoner of Davenport and Joe Waggoner of Gatlinburg, Tennessee; one sister, Peggy Zook of Longwood; and many nieces and nephews.

Preceding him in death were siblings Mary Foster and Bill Waggoner.