DAVID ARDEN HAGAR
David Arden Hagar, March 15, 1950 - Nov. 6, 2021
David, my beloved husband, earned his Heavenly reward after a valiant battle with COVID-19. He was born to Eunice Gouwens Hagar and her husband, Arden Buell Hagar, on March 15, 1950, in Harvey, Illinois. Dave was blessed to have grown up in the midst of a large, loving family in South Holland, Illinois, where he attended public schools and worshiped at First Reformed Church of South Holland. Dave graduated from Thornridge High School, where he met his lifelong love, Linda. Dave and Linda English were married in November 1971 and went on to complete their educations. Dave graduated from Rose Hulman Institute of Engineering in 1972 as a proud chemical engineer. He began a 28-year career with Dow Chemical in Midland, Michigan, shortly after his graduation. He was excited by the challenges and opportunities that his career with Dow afforded him. Life in Midland offered many opportunities to participate in year-round sports, at which Dave excelled. A highlight was helping his DC Ten fast-pitch softball team win the city championship. Dave decided to extend his engineering career and accepted the position of director of engineering at Phi-Bro Animal Health located in Sumter. He enjoyed 10 years of making process improvements and developing products for clients, until retiring in 2010, when Phi-Bro Animal Health was sold to a competitor. Sumter also offered Dave many outlets for his athletic interests: running, hiking, walking, golf, fishing in our backyard pond or skiing with the SkiDogs.
Dave was devoted to his family, especially our three children, Eric, Sarah and Andy, and our three grandchildren, Kanya, Andrew and Luke. He loved to share his love of science and engineering with them while helping them learn to ride bikes, swim or just exploring nature's wonders. He greatly enjoyed family trips to Hilton Head, Corpus Christi, Texas, San Antonio, Texas, and Myrtle Beach or back to visit in Michigan. Family ski trips to Traverse City, Michigan, Vermont, West Virginia and Deer Valley, Utah, were among his favorite adventures. He and his father shared a love of cars, the Cubs and fishing, which then Dave also shared with our children and grandchildren. His love for cars led him to successfully build his replica of an Austin Healy 3000. He had one in college, and when he had his 40th birthday, he felt the need to have another. He drove it for 11 years quite happily knowing he had improved on some of the technical problems of his original one. Dave was a man of many talents, interests and abilities. He will be greatly missed.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Arden and Eunice Hagar. Dave is survived by his loving wife of 50 years, Linda Marie English Hagar, and their three children, Eric Arden (Niramon), Sarah Hagar Evangelisti and Andrew David Hagar. He is also survived by three very much loved grandchildren, Kanya Maliwan, Andrew R. Hagar and Luke Evangelisti. He is survived by his sister, Ruth Huisman (Dan), and by three sisters-in-law, Susan Adinovich (Bobby), Carol Young (Charles), Betsy Worley (Tarry) and Valerie English. He is also survived by several nieces, nephews, cousins and a large group of relatives and friends who all meant very much to him.
A funeral service will be held on Friday at 1 p.m. in the Bullock Funeral Home Chapel with the Rev. Michael Ridgill officiating. The interment will follow the service in Sumter Cemetery.
The family will receive friends on Thursday from 4 to 6 p.m. and on Friday from noon to 1 p.m. at Bullock Funeral Home.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to a charity of one's choice.
You may go to www.bullockfuneralhome.com and sign the family's guest book.
The family has chosen Bullock Funeral Home for the arrangements.