Green G Wagner

Green "Robert" was born in Oshkosh WI on November 12th, 1950, to Russell and Geraldine (Hazen) Wagner. He grew up in the country town of Omro with his 8 siblings (Yes 8). He joined the US Navy on June 28th, 1970, after graduation from Omro High School.

Green married the love of his life and high school sweetheart Julaine "Julie" (Koss) on July 9th, 1971, on a very hot day in Oshkosh, and their cake melted, just as his heart of gold melts for his family.

In Vietnam, Green served on two Naval Destroyers. The USS Ozbourn and the USS Somers launching aircraft and performing broken arrow rescue missions until the end of the war in 1974. He was stationed in Long Beach, CA and would return home to Julie on breaks and in 1973 they had their only child, Kristin.

After Vietnam, he and his family returned to Wisconsin where he went to Welding school in Manitowoc.

He worked as a welder for most of his adult life, until things got "interesting" in 1978, when he became GANG GREEN, the unofficial mascot (official 1980 Season) for the Green Bay Packers, generating an NFL pandemonium of cheer and green gear that no one had seen before by creating his own costumes, dying clothes and wigs, with Julie's help to get as green as he could. (Back then you could not buy licensed gear.) He also worked at Cedar Crest Ice cream in Oshkosh.

In 1993 he changed his name to Green G. Wagner completing his transformation to the identity he created. During this time, he gained fame and used that fame for good by going to many charity events, meeting and becoming friends with many leaders, and players and the community in which he would volunteer. He WALKED to Green Bay from Oshkosh two times and donated the money to the Christine Anne Center and The Oshkosh Area Humane Society.

He was in a Coca-Cola commercial with other football fans during the height of the Packers winning season in 1996, when he walked his daughter down the aisle in October. As years went by, he became a grandfather to Mykaelah and Wyatt and they meant everything to him.

He had a local access TV show in Oshkosh, and he'd have many different guests / friends to share the game highlights, and downfalls.

Later he decided to start his own business as a "Walking Billboard" and he and Julie would create signs for each customer, and he would designate set times to advertise for them, and the people of Oshkosh enjoyed every minute by honking at him and sharing pictures online. During this time, he created a sign for the area school districts that asked commuters to "SLOW DOWN" for school zones and this got him recognized in the first annual Oshkosh Police Departments' Good Citizenship Award for bringing safety awareness.

There is so much more that he did in his life, that we just cannot add it all.

Green is survived by his loving, strong, stoic, caregiving wife of 55 years, Julie; His loving, caring, feisty daughter, Kristin (Thomas) Smith; grandchildren, Mykaelah (Jacob) Angell and Wyatt (Fiancé Morgan) Smith; siblings, Sharron (Robert) Ellis, Nancy Deschaine, Douglas (Mary) Wagner, Dennis (Gloria) Wagner, and Sandra (Richard) Jarzynka, and sisters-in-law, Sally Wagner and Elaine (Drachenberg) Koss; as well as many loving nieces, nephews, cousins and countless special lifelong friends that would take up an entire page to show our love and gratitude to (You know who you are) and most recently, his special great-great grandniece Lainee, making a 4th generation of Wagners in our neighborhood. Because Kristin is an only child, her best friends were like daughters to him.

Green was preceded in death by his parents, Russell and Gerry Wagner, grandparents, his mother and father-in-law Steven and Arcile (Luker) Koss; three siblings. Barbara, James and Thomas; nephews, Cory Wagner and Robert Koss Jr., niece: Paula (Koss) Wenhardt and several aunts, uncles and cousins; brothers-in-law, John Deschaine, Steven Koss, Robert Koss and Daniel Koss; sisters-in-law, Florence (Palachek) Koss, Carol (Paulsen) Koss, and Nancy (Kittoe) Koss

Green had so much love in his heart that it'll be around for many decades to come.

We would like to thank all of the providers, nurses and caregivers that we meant along the way, including the Drivers for the VA transport team.

Above all else Green loved his Lord, his Country and his family.

We will miss you forever.

"Love Me Do"