Jeruel Bennie Hagen age 80 years of Shaunavon, Saskatchewan died on Shaunavon Hospital and Care Centre on Tuesday, January 6, 2015 following a brief illness.
He was born in Shaunavon on January 27, 1934 and grew up on the family farm south of Admiral, Saskatchewan where he attended Horse Creek School. Jeruel began working for CP Rail at the Admiral section in 1951 and after 40 years of service retired in 1991. During that time he met the love of his life Patsy Trottier and they were married at Val Marie United Church on December 11, 1959 and had 5 children Shelley, Lance, Sheldon, Wade and Shari. During the years working for CP Rail Jeruel moved the family from Admiral to Shaunavon, Waldeck, Eastend and back to Shaunavon in 1980 where they remained.
Jeruel enjoyed spending the summers at the cottage at Carefree Park but his true pride and joy was the farm near Admiral where he spent much of his free time. With a love of raising animals Jeruel was always picking up critters here and there so visitors to the farm often found an assortment of animals like geese, rabbits, cats, horses, sheep, bantam hens, an occasional cow and in the later years bison.
There was never a family gathering where a deck of cards was not brought out for a serious game of cribbage or Norwegian Whist where sarcastic comments and pocket change were exchanged frequently.
Jeruel enjoyed gambling and he and Patsy frequently took bus trips to casinos in locations like Reno and Deadwood, to name a couple. The horse races of Saskatoon and Regina were places he liked to visit and when they closed he still frequented the telecast locations.
He was predeceased by his father Taale Hagen, his mother Martha Olderness, his step-father Trygve Olderness, his brother Juel Hagen, and sister Thelma Schultz.
Survived by his wife Patsy Hagen; children Shelley of Calgary, Alberta, Lance (Julie) of Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan, Sheldon (Kathy) of High Prairie, Alberta, Wade of Regina, Saskatchewan, and Shari (Brent) of Yorkton, Saskatchewan; grandchildren David (Angelle Taillefer), Travis, Erica (Ken Beckett), Desiree (Paul Klimek), Jordan, Nicole, Tracy (Randy McPhail) & Donald; and great grandchildren Alexis, Jayden and Zane as well as by numerous nieces and nephews.
A private family interment service took place at Admiral Cemetery on Friday, January 9, 2015 and a memorial gathering was held from Shaunavon Legion Hall on Saturday, January 10, 2015 at 2:00 p.m. with Funeral Celebrant Bernadette Schneider officiating. The eulogy was presented by Wade Hagen.
Pallbearers were grandchildren Jordan Hagen, Nicole Hagen, Desiree Hagen, Erica Hagen, David Hagen and Travis Hagen.