Sherman Frederick Wagenseller, born June 22, 1927, passed away peacefully on July 3 at Belmont Village Sabre Springs in San Diego, surrounded by his loving family. Sherman celebrated his 86th birthday just 10 days before his death.
While Sherman was born and raised in Los Angeles, he spent many childhood summers on the family farm in Chillicothe, Ohio. He graduated from Beverly Hills High School in 1945 and then served in the Navy for a short time, achieving achieved the rank of Petty Officer Third Class, E-4. He went on to study at USC, where he became a lifelong Trojan.
Anticipating the boom that would hit Los Angeles after World War II, Sherman enjoyed a career as a real estate broker and entrepreneur, developing industrial properties around LAX and Signal Hill. He was also an investor in the oil and gas business in New Mexico. He remained active in the real estate and energy businesses until his early 80s.
Outside of work, Sherman was an avid outdoorsman and athlete. He participated in almost anything that would keep him physically fit, from golf, tennis and swimming, to horseback riding and duck hunting. He was also active in local politics. He was chairman of the Republican Central Committee for the 60th Assembly District, and in 1969 Governor Ronald Reagan appointed him to the State Hospital Advisory Board.
While Sherman loved to travel, he was essentially a homebody and loved raising his family in a very special part of Los Angeles called Sullivan Canyon, more specifically on Old Ranch Road. That is where he would don his jeans and cowboy boots and be himself. For more than 50 years, Sherman participated with his neighbors to maintain the tranquility and beauty of the canyon. He was president of the Sullivan Canyon Association for many years and informally was looked upon as “an old hand” who could be sought out for advice on canyon matters. There was no other place that Sherman would rather be than Sullivan Canyon.
The only son of Florence and Hudson Wagenseller, Sherman is survived by Janet, his beloved wife of more than 50 years, and five of his six children: Sharman W. Knox, Trent B. Wagenseller, Ward F. Wagenseller, Laine T. Wagenseller and Scott D. Wagenseller (a businessman in Pacific Palisades). Sherman’s eldest son, Hudson Whitney Wagenseller, passed away last December 9. Sherman was blessed with 12 grandchildren and one great-grandchild.
Sherman lived a long and satisfying life with his many friends and loving family. He will be remembered fondly as a loving husband, father and friend.
A reception celebrating Sherman’s life was scheduled to be held on July 10 at the Bel-Air Bay Club in Pacific Palisades, followed by a burial service at Forest Lawn on Thursday morning.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in memory of Sherman F. Wagenseller to The Elizabeth Hospice (www.elizabethhospice.org), 500 La Terraza Blvd., Escondido, CA 92025 or (800) 797-2050, or to The Alzheimer’s Association of Southern California (www.alz.org/socal), 4221 Wilshire Blvd, Suite 400, Los Angeles, CA 90010 or (323) 938-3379.
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