James E. Hager

JAMES EDWARD HAGER

(July 18, 1929 – April 6, 2024)

James (Jim) Edward Hager, of Shippenville, Paint Township, PA and Spring Hill, FL, passed away on April 6, 2024, at his home in Spring Hill after a recent period of declining health.

Jim was born July 18, 1929 in New Bethlehem, PA to parents William Edward Hager and Elizabeth (Barile) Hager. He graduated from Clarion High School in 1947,and attended  the University of Kentucky in Lexington, and Clarion State College. He was drafted by the U.S. Army and served in the 101st Airborne Division in 1951 during the Korean War and was honorably discharged in 1953. He worked with his father for 20 years in the family business, Hager Resurfacing & Supply, Inc., in Strattanville, PA, and then purchased the business in 1973, until his retirement in 1990.

He married Shirley Lee (Cook) Hager in a civil ceremony in Winchester, VA, on New Year’s Eve in 1953, and on June 5, 1954, he and Shirley were married in the First Presbyterian Church in Clarion, PA. They had three sons, James (Jim) Edward Hager, Jr., who preceded him in death in 1992, William (Diane) Edward Hager, III, of Hawthorn, PA. and Mark Edward Hager, of Spring Hill, FL. In addition to his wife and two sons, he is survived by  three grandchildren, Stephanie R. Hager (Steve) Arose, of Chevy Chase, MD, William A. Hager (Andrea), of Los Angeles, CA, and Luke E. Hager, of Santa Rosa Beach, FL, and a great grandson, William C. Hager. He is also survived by a sister, Dolores (Hager) Boyer, of Apollo, PA, a niece and three nephews. He was preceded in death by his brother Donald (Don) W. Hager in 1990.

He loved living a quiet, simple life on his farm in Paint Township in the summer and in Spring Hill, FL in the winter. Upon buying his first stock at age 16, and having been self-taught, he developed a keen instinct for investing in the stock market. Having been captain of his high school football team, he enjoyed sports, and as a season ticket holder, loved watching the Steelers and later the Buccaneers with his sons. He was an avid tennis player getting the opportunity to watch his favorite professional players at Center Court in Wimbledon. After his retirement, he liked taking his daily walks, walking up to 5 miles daily, missing only 4 days a year. He enjoyed planting multiple varieties of trees on his farm in Pennsylvania and his home in Florida, along with his devoted care and feeding the birds and wild animals, enjoying God’s nature as a true steward of the land of which he was entrusted.

Jim loved his Yorkshire Terrier companions (his fur babies) through the years, Maggie B., Winnie, Higgins, Reggie, Sassy, Maggie B.-II, and equally loved his rescue Yorkies, Charlie, Cassie and Babee.  He was survived by his last beloved fur baby, Louie.  He will be remembered by many by his quiet sense of humor and infectious laugh and will be sorely missed by all those who knew him.

Visitation will be from 2pm to 4pm and 6pm to 8pm, Friday, April 12, 2024, at Rupert Funeral Home,  in New Bethlehem, PA.  In memory of Jim, a celebration of life service will be held at 11 a.m. on Saturday, April 13, 2024, at First Presbyterian Church in Clarion, PA, Reverend Rebecca Mihm will officiate.

A celebration of life service for Jim will be held at Downing Funeral Home off Commercial Way in Spring Hill, FL, on April 26, 2024, at 7:00pm, with Pastor Carlan Helgeson officiating.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests contributions be made to The Arbor Day Foundation by visiting arborday.org or by mail at 211 N. 12th Street, Lincoln, NE 68508, or the Humane Society of the Nature Coast, by visiting humanerescure.org, or by mail at 7200 Mobley Rd, Brooksville, FL 34601.

Prayer of St. Francis of Assisi (Prayer for Peace)

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace:
where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury, pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
where there is sadness, joy.
O divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek
to be consoled as to console,
to be understood as to understand,
to be loved as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive,
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned,
and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.

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