HAGEN, Roy "Jim" J., age 84

Died: Sunday, February 1st, 2015

Memorial Service: 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, February 7, 2015 at St. John's Lutheran Church in Eau Claire with Reverend Christine Emerson officiating

Visitation: from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. on Friday at the funeral home

Interment: Rest Haven Cemetery, Town of Washington, Wisconsin

Roy "Jim" J. Hagen, age 84, of Eau Claire passed away on Sunday, February 1, 2015 at Mayo Clinic Health System - Eau Claire surrounded by his loving family.

Jim was born on January 16, 1931 to the late Roy and Ethel (Mulvaney) Hagen in Eau Claire. He grew up near Osseo on the Roy Hagen farm and attended school in Osseo. He worked with his dad and brothers with chores, milking, and fieldwork. Much of the fieldwork was done with horses. His father was a cattle dealer. Jim spent time traveling with him to South Dakota with cattle. They often returned with wild horses and put them in the barn yard. Jim and his brothers, John and Bob, rode these horses until they were tame enough to sell. At age 16, he started driving semi-truck for Vernal Ellifson Trucking in Strum. He made many trips throughout Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, and into Pennsylvania.

Francis Nelson (his brother Lyman's girlfriend) introduced Jim to Ardyce Aleckson who was from Whitehall. They were dating at the time he received his draft notice on September 1, 1951. They were married on September 15 and he reported for duty on September 20, 1951.

He spent 16 weeks of basic training in Indian Town Gap, Pennsylvania. He traveled by troop train to Fort Lewis, WA; by ship to Japan and onto the shores of Korea in a landing craft in April of 1952. Jim drove truck in Korea hauling men, ammunition, and supplies from base camp to the front lines.

In May of 1953, he returned home from Korea. Jim and Ardyce lived in Osseo working on the Hagen farm and driving truck until 1957. At that time they moved to Eau Claire and started a paint contracting business, Hagen Decorators, Inc., doing commercial and industrial work. In 1969, he expanded the business into urethane roofing forming North Central Insulation.

They took their three sons on many trips throughout the United States and Canada in a pick-up truck camper. In 1970, they purchased a vacation home on Lake Holcombe. Many wonderful days were spent there with their sons, friends, neighbors, and their large extended family.

Jim loved adventures and traveling. Jim and Ardyce made many trips in the United States, Canada, Alaska, Mexico, Europe, Hawaii, the Caribbean, and Australia. He was a quiet man and cared deeply for his family, friends, and the people that worked for him. He had respect for the contractors and the people he worked with.

He is survived by his wife, Ardyce; sons, Thomas (Pamela), Rick (Jana) both of Eau Claire and Jerry (Allison) of Chippewa Falls; grandchildren, Alisa (Jared) Gustafson of Roseau, MN, David (Ashley) Hagen of Wausau, WI, Matthew (Kathryn) Hagen of Eau Claire, Angela Hagen of Wausau, Jessica Hagen of Annapolis, Il, Emily Hagen of Eau Claire, Ryley Clark, Ryan and Cameron Hagen all of Chippewa Falls; great grandchildren, Alana, Lanae, and Truitt Gustafson, Colton, Beckett, Landin, and Rowan Hagen; sisters, Patricia (Eldon) Martenson, Eljean (Richard) Puent, and Margaret Hagen; brother, John (Margaret) Hagen; sisters-in-law, Frances, Alvina, and Sally Hagen; many nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends. 

Jim was preceded in death by his sister, Verda (Marv) Johnson; brothers, Lyman, Ronald and Robert Hagen; brother-in-law, Odel "Squirt" Hirschfield.