Dr. Gerald (Jerry) Max Wagger passed away at his home in Palo Alto, California, on June 12, his exact half birthday, at 95 1/2 years old. He leaves behind his devoted wife of over 67 years, Barbara (Bobbie) Wagger, his loving children Debby Wagger (Zvi Bern), Shana Wagger and David Wagger (Lizabeth), and his loving grandchildren Toby, Rose and Miriam Bern, and Marc, Andrew and Eric Wagger. His beloved sister, Victoria Ann Sorkin (Dr. Bernie Sorkin), passed away in 2020. Jerry was born in Asheboro, North Carolina, on Dec. 12, 1930, to Rose (Rosenburg) Wagger and Israel David Wagger. He lost his own father at 14 years old, and his strong mother continued raising him and his sister while running her own business. Jerry became an Eagle Scout and attended the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, where he earned both his bachelor’s degree and his medical degree.

He met Bobbie at the wedding of their best friends, and they were married a year later. Jerry was a U.S. Army Captain and relocated his family from Baltimore to Palo Alto, California, when his service and his fellowship at the University of Maryland were concluded. There, Jerry worked as a gastroenterologist and internist at Kaiser Permanente, Redwood City, where he was loved by his patients and his medical and nursing colleagues. Upon his retirement in 1998, Jerry initiated the Retired Physicians Group at Redwood City.

Jerry was very involved in the Jewish community and his synagogue, Congregation Kol Emeth. He highly valued volunteering and serving others, including serving on the Board of the local Jewish Community Center and Hadassah Associates. Jerry was a wise, loving, generous and humane presence in the lives of his loving family and large circle of friends and colleagues. His warm humor and desire to understand and know people were a through-line of his life. He is deeply missed, and his memory is a blessing to all who knew and loved him.