Accident claims life of Deacon Wargin

By Cheri Perkins Mantz Catholic Herald Staff

TOWN OF LEROY — Bishop Richard J. Sklba was involved in a car accident June 11 on his way to a confirmation in Dodge County. Deacon John Wargin, the bishop’s master of ceremonies, was killed. The professional partnership between Bishop Sklba and Deacon Wargin spanned 18 years. According to Bishop Sklba, the two attended more than 500 confirmations together. In an e-mail statement to your Catholic Herald, Bishop Sklba remembered Deacon Wargin as a funny man with a deep faith. “John Wargin cherished his diaconate more than anyone might ever guess, even with his occasional playfulness and debonair view on the ironies of life. As I suggested at John’s funeral last Thursday evening (June 15), he was ever faithful (to the Lord and to all his friends everywhere), often funny (with an endless supply of jokes), occasionally fussy (especially about the church’s liturgy), and always free (unburdened by possessions and generous in picking up the tab). “Many of us lost a friend and gained a heartache at his sudden and tragic death. … He surely brings a deep devotion to the Holy Spirit as he comes knocking at the gates of heaven.” The accident occurred at the intersection of highways 28 and 175 as the two were travelling to St. Andrew Parish, in the Town of Leroy. Bishop Sklba received minor injuries and was treated at Aurora Medical Center in Hartford and released. Deacon Wargin, who was driving, was taken to St. Agnes Hospital, Fond du Lac, where he died. Deacon Wargin was born Aug. 7, 1937 in Milwaukee. He received a bachelor of education degree from UW-Whitewater in 1959. He also attended UW-Milwaukee and UW-Whitewater and received a master’s of science degree in 1972. Deacon Wargin joined the U. S. Army in 1960 and served as a personnel administrative specialist. He worked as a computer programmer and teacher, and also as a guidance counselor at Milwaukee Area Technical College until his retirement. Deacon Wargin was ordained June 16, 1979 at the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist. His first assignment was in Downtown Campus Ministry and St. Benedict the Moor. In 1981 he was assigned to the Permanent Diaconate Office at Saint Francis Seminary to work in the formation of programs and deacons. In 1983 he was assigned to Immaculate Conception, Milwaukee, where he worked in grief ministry. Deacon Wargin retired from covenanted ministry in 2005. In 1987, Deacon Wargin became the on-call master of ceremonies for Bishop Sklba. Shortly thereafter, he became the bishop’s full-time master of ceremonies.