HAGEN, Carl J. 1908-2006

HAGEN

Posted By: Gordon Felland (email)
Date: 4/2/2006 at 21:49:18

Carl J. Hagen, 97, of Lake Mills, died Thursday (March 23, 2006) at Good Shepherd Health Center in Mason City.

Funeral services will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Monday at Salem Lutheran Church, Lake Mills, with the Rev. Merlin Norris officiating. Inurnment will be at Salem Memorial Cemetery, Lake Mills, at a later date. Visitation will be today from 3 to 5 p.m. at Mittelstadt Funeral Home, 902 East Main Street in Lake Mills and will continue one hour prior to services at the church on Monday.

Carl John Hagen was born on May 20, 1908, in Hastings, N.D., to parents Ellef and Julia (Lein) Hagen. He was the seventh of eight children. Carl's family moved to Iowa when he was five years old, and they settled in Worth County.

Carl was baptized in North Dakota, and confirmed at Sion Lutheran Church, rural Lake Mills. He attended country schools.

Carl was united in marriage with Stella Peterson on Oct. 11, 1934. The couple farmed in Bristol township, Worth County, and later moved into Lake Mills. Carl then worked as a night watchman at Deluxe Corp. (Fleetguard Industries), and also drove school bus for Lake Mills Community School for a number of years. After his retirement, he drove the senior citizen taxi.

Carl was a farmer at heart, and was always curious about the crops. He worked on the farm for his nephews, Harold Hagen and Gordon Hagen. He was a member of Salem Lutheran Church, and was very proud of his Norwegian heritage.

In 2002, Carl moved to Kentucky Ridge in Mason City, to be closer to his family.

Survivors include his daughter, Evonne Witham, and her friend, Jim Kofoot, of Mason City; three grandchildren, Kim Witham of Clear Lake, Kelly Swanson and her fiancé, Jim McGowan, of Mason City, and Tom Witham and his wife, Deirdre, of Mason City; and four great-grandchildren, Sara Swanson of Des Moines, and Zach, Alex, and Molly Witham, all of Mason City.

He was preceded in death by his parents; wife, Stella; four sisters, Mabel Ulveness, Karina Wake, Selma Brustad, and Ella Kallheim; and three brothers, Lauritz Hagen, Albert Hagen, and Martin Hagen.

Source: Mason City Globe Gazette, March 26, 2006