David Edward Wagner

David E. Wagner, 71, of Williamsburg, VA, passed away on December 22, 2021, after a period of declining health. He was born in Baltimore, Maryland, and received his degree from St. Andrew's College (now St. Andrew's University) in Laurinberg, NC. David was a typesetter for The Daily Progress of Charlottesville from 1975 to 1980. From 1981 to 1991, he owned and operated his own typesetting company, which he called Typecasting, also in Charlottesville. He was featured as a dinner music vocalist at Willow Grove Inn (now the Inn at Willow Grove) in Orange, VA, from 1987 through 1999. He performed in many theatrical productions under the aegis of Four County Players in Barboursville and the Virginia Players in Charlottesville. He was featured as a vocalist in several celebrations of "First Night Virginia." Another of his highlights was his direction of and performance in the 1988 production of the musical Tintypes with Four County Players. In 1999, David moved to the Buffalo area, where he was a Docutech operator for Great Lakes Graphics. He continued to perform in regional and community theatre, including The Fantasticks (Bellamy) at Alleyway in 2003 and Guys and Dolls (Big Jules) with Opera-Lytes in 2010. He entertained as a volunteer at nursing homes, and participated in other concerts, with groups such as the Chromatic Club of Buffalo. David's singing style was that of a mid-20th-century crooner, with the range of a dramatic tenor or lyric baritone. He had a repertoire of 800 songs, including most of the Great American Songbook. In retirement, David moved to Williamsburg in 2016. He enjoyed performing as "David the Tavern Singer" at Chownings Tavern in Colonial Williamsburg, where he was a member of the Order of Burgesses. David is survived by a son, Adrian Edward Wagner (with his former wife, Elizabeth Scarlett), and a sister, Deborah (Michael) Shawen.