__NOTOC__ Richard S. Van Wagoner (July 23, 1946 – October 10, 2010) was an American historian, audiologist, and author who published works on the history of Utah and the history of the Latter Day Saint movement.

Early life and education

Van Wagoner was a

Lehi, Utah Lehi ( ) is a city in Utah County, Utah, United States. It is named after Lehi, a prophet in the Book of Mormon. The population was 75,907 at the 2020 census, up from 47,407 in 2010. The rapid growth in Lehi is due, in part, to the rapid develo ...

, native and a fifth-generation Mormon."Utah, LDS historian won acclaim"
'' Salt Lake Tribune'', 2010-10-12. He was an Eagle Scout and was a missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the church's Central States Mission. In 1970, he graduated from Brigham Young University with an M.S. degree.

Career

He was trained as a clinical audiologist and beginning in 1977 operated a hearing center in Salt Lake City, Utah. Van Wagoner wrote the books '' Sidney Rigdon: A Portrait of Religious Excess'' and ''Mormon Polygamy: A History''.Michael DeGroote
"Richard Van Wagoner, historian, dies at 64"
''

Deseret News The ''Deseret News'' () is the oldest continuously operating publication in the American west. Its multi-platform products feature journalism and commentary across the fields of politics, culture, family life, faith, sports, and entertainment. Th ...

'', 2010-10-12. His 1994 biography of Sidney Rigdon won awards from the Mormon History Association and the John Whitmer Historical Association. Van Wagoner was a member of the board of

Signature Books Signature Books is an American press specializing in subjects related to Utah, Mormonism, and Western Americana. The company was founded in 1980 by George D. Smith and Scott Kenney and is based in Salt Lake City, Utah. It is majority owned by the ...

, and was described after his death as a "trailblazer in Mormon studies", having published historical articles in '' Utah Historical Quarterly'', '' Dialogue: A Journal of Mormon Thought'', and '' Sunstone''. He lived in

, and acted as the town's historical archivist.

Personal life

From the early 1980s, Van Wagoner lost his hearing due to otosclerosis; he received a cochlear implant in 2001, which partially restored his hearing. Van Wagoner died unexpectedly at his home in Lehi, Utah, at age 64.

Works

Books * * * * * * Articles * * * * * * * * * * * Sunstone Symposium presentations *Van Wagoner, Richard; Allen D. Roberts (August 27, 1982)
"From Grace to Grace"
*Bradley, Martha; Richard Van Wagoner (August 23, 1985)
"Changed Faces: LDS Positions on , 1890-1-80"
*Van Wagoner, Richard S.; Lynne Watkins Jorgensen (August 12, 1995)
"The Making of a Mormon Myth: The 1844 Transfiguration of Brigham Young - and - The Mantle of the Prophet Joseph Passes to Brother Brigham and the Twelve Apostles: A Collective Spiritual Witness"
*Van Wagoner, Richard S. (August 17, 1996)
"Sidney Rigdon and the Elect Sisterhood"
*Ehat, Andrew E.; Richard S. Van Wagoner (August 22, 1996)
"Pseudo-Polyandry: Explaining Mormon Polgyny's Paraboxical Companion"
*Van Wagoner, Richard; Breck England (August 23, 1996)
"Orson Pratt, Jr"

Notes

External links

The Richard S. Van Wagoner Papers
(

J. Willard Marriott Library The J. Willard Marriott Library is the main academic library of the University of Utah in Salt Lake City, Utah. The university library has had multiple homes since the first University of Utah librarian was appointed in 1850. The current building ...

, University of Utah) {{DEFAULTSORT:Van Wagoner, Richard S. 1946 births 2010 deaths American historians Latter Day Saints from Utah Audiologists Deaf writers Historians of the Latter Day Saint movement American Latter Day Saint writers People from Lehi, Utah American Mormon missionaries in the United States Brigham Young University alumni Writers from Utah 20th-century Mormon missionaries American deaf people