He was named after his maternal grandfather, and was the first Wolrad in the House of Waldeck.
Before he took office in Waldeck, Wolrad was appointed by Archbishop Conrad III of Mainz as magistrate and bailiff of the towns and castles of Amöneburg, Battenberg, Neustadt, Rosenthal, Hausen in Knüllwald, Fritzlar, Jesberg, Hofgeismar, Naumburg, Wetter and Rhoden near Diemelstadt, plus the associated villages and bailiwicks, in Electoral Mainz.
John II was in turn succeeded in 1439 by Landgrave Louis I of Hesse.
In 1486, Henry VIII and Philip II decided to split the county: Henry VIII received Waldeck-Wildungen, the southern part, and Philip II received the northern part, Waldeck-Eisenberg.
Wolrad and Barbara joined the Kalands Brethren in Korbach.