David R. (Dave) Hagen
David R. (Dave) Hagen, 82, of Micco, FL passed away on Thursday, August 12, 2021. He was born on September 24, 1938 in Allegany, NY.
He was predeceased by his loving wife of 42 years, Sylvia, daughter Ruth, and sister Florence Luzier. He is survived by children Lillian (Dan Sommers) of Potomac, MD, Margaret (Jim) McCormick of Baldwinsville, NY, and Dorothy of Buffalo, NY; grandchildren Shelita Ellis, Stephen Ellis, and Ben Sommers; great grandchild Haylee Glenn; and partner Carol Litts of Micco, FL.
Dave was valedictorian of the 1956 graduating class of Rushford Central School in Rushford, NY. He served in the U.S. Air Force for four years, where he flew reconnaissance missions over Korea after learning Mandarin Chinese at Yale University in New Haven, CT. Dave spent most of his career in the emerging fields of computer science and information technology and told many stories of the early days of giant computer mainframes and writing code. He retired from Gibraltar Steel Corporation in Buffalo, NY in 1999 as an Assistant Vice President of Management Information Systems.
Dave was a long-time resident of Franklinville, NY where he and Sylvia raised their four daughters. He was a regular at his daughters’ events, from concerts, art shows, and plays, to basketball games and track meets. He taught his daughters the importance of working hard and thinking for themselves and was their biggest supporter.
Dave enjoyed fishing and was an avid gardener. He loved nature and would often be seen building bird feeders or bat houses, planting and nurturing butterfly gardens and even raising and releasing monarch butterflies. He was an expert at growing flowers, particularly roses. Dave was a lifelong learner and a prolific reader who particularly enjoyed a good detective novel.
Dave will be remembered for his generous nature, dedication to helping those in need, warm smile, infectious laugh and wonderful sense of humor. He will be dearly missed but will live on forever in our hearts.
Due to COVID, a private service was held. A public memorial service will take place at a later date.