Richard Eugene Vagner

Richard Eugene Vagner of Oxford, Mississippi, slipped peacefully from the bonds of earth on September 18, 2025. God bless his soul for all eternity. Born on August 22, 1933, Mr. Vagner was a native of Tampa, Florida. He attended Hillsborough High School, the University of South Florida, Florida Technological University, and the University of Miami, where he majored in Botany and Landscape Architecture sciences.

Mr. Vagner was passionate about horticulture and landscape. As co-owner of the award-winning Mid-Florida Orchids in Winter Garden, Florida, he traveled the world, trekking deep into dense mountain jungles to acquire rare species of orchids, some of which he bred. He has two orchid species registered with the Royal Horticultural Society in England, which he named after his two daughters. In 1969, he registered Laeliocattleya Carol Lynn Vagner and in 1970 Cattleya Maria Theresa Vagner with the Royal Society. Mr. Vagner was the City Gardener for Orlando, Florida, before taking a position with Walt Disney World prior to its opening, where he became the Designer and Curator of Treasure Island. In his retirement, Mr. Vagner moved to Gatlinburg, Tennessee, where he was a licensed researcher with the National Park Service documenting and cataloging the variety of native trillium plants in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. While in Gatlinburg, he was a student at Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts where he learned to turn wooden bowls and other decorative objects on a lathe.

Mr. Vagner was preceded in death by his parents, Robert Vagner and Ella Bertha Vagner (nee Levy), along with his grandson Micheal Joseph Pichette. He leaves behind a sister, Martha Eleanor Fults of Land O’Lakes, Florida, two daughters, Carol Vagner Livingston of Oxford, Mississippi, and Maria Theresa Pichette (Wilfred) of Sylacauga, Alabama. He also leaves behind three granddaughters, Jessica Pichette Crump (Gregg) of Lincoln, Alabama, Leah Virginia Livingston and Rebecca Carol Livingston of Gadsden, Alabama, along with two great-granddaughters, Ava and Ila Crump of Lincoln, Alabama.

The family wishes to thank the staff at the Mississippi State Veterans Home, Oxford, Mississippi, for their loving care of Mr. Vagner in his last years. Mr. Vagner served in the United States Army during the Korean War. 

 A memorial service will be held in the chapel of Waller Funeral Home on Tuesday, September 23, 2025, at 1:00. The family kindly asks that any gifts be made to the National Park Service in his memory by visiting https://give.nationalparks.org