Donald Elwood Waagen

Donald Elwood Waagen 1938 ~ 2008 Donald Elwood Waagen, age 69, went home to his Heavenly Father on Friday, October 3, 2008, while being held in the arms of his wife at home after a three 1/2 year battle with cancer.Don was born November 8, 1938 in Salt Lake City, Utah, the son of Frederick Wesley and Wilma Christina Hansen Waagen. He attended local Salt Lake City schools including West High School. Shortly before completing High School in 1957 he joined the United States Coast Guard, leaving his Utah home for California and beyond. He was stationed at life boat stations and light houses and was involved with many search and rescue operations and protecting the United States territorial waters in the Northern California bay area, the Sacramento delta, Alaska, and Kuri Island until he retired in 1977 after 22 years of service with the rank of Chief. He developed a great love for his country and was a true patriot. On September 10, 1958, he married Antoinette (Toni) Skousen in Salt Lake City, Utah and took her with him to California. She died September 1, 1966 and this was one of the enormous burdens of his life. He remarried in 1966 to Duff Ellen Redlick which ended in divorce. After which he remarried in 1976 to Linda Gail Camezon which also ended in divorce. After his retirement from the Coast Guard in 1977 he lived in Pinole, California and worked in the heating and air conditioning trade for 13 years, retiring for the second time in 1991. He and his family enjoyed many great times at Clear Lake, California boating and water skiing. He was also a San Francisco 49er fan and loved to watch them play through both good and bad years. On April 14, 1990 he married Barbara Kay Wiseman in the Los Angeles Temple. They bought a new home in Vacaville, California. He worked for the City of Vacaville as the Maintenance Supervisor for the local Water Treatment Plant. He loved his Harley Davidson motorcycles, and rides with his wife Barbara on the back and also with his other friends on longer road trips. His Vacaville stay was a growing time in his life. He learned so much from the many opportunities he had to serve as an active member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He served as High Priest Group leader plus as a member of a bishopric for six years. He retired for the third time and he and his wife Barbara came back to Utah in 2001 and bought a home in Hurricane, Utah. He again had wonderful opportunities and served as Ward Mission Leader, Primary Teacher, Gospel Doctrine Teacher, Member Locator Missionary and until recently as an ordinance worker in the Saint George Temple. Most of all he learned that service was the key to a happy and abundant life. Through his labors many lives were changed forever. He is survived by his wife, Barbara Kay Waagen of Hurricane, Utah. Also his children Donald Everett (Jan) Waagen of Tucson, Arizona; Tanya Lyn (Scott) Hunt of Monroe, Utah; and David Terrell Waagen of Walnut Creek, California. Also step daughters; Karen (Bob) Carrie of Los Altos, California; Jennifer (Paul) Ahlstrom of Sandy, Utah and Sondra Lee (Clete) Hudgens of Provo, Utah. Plus 19 beloved grandchildren. Also surviving are sisters; Dorothy Evelyn Waagen of Salt Lake City, Utah; Loa Mae Mulholland of West Jordan, Utah; and brother Richard Frederick Waagen of West Valley, Utah. He was preceded in death by his wife, Antoinette Skousen, his parents and his brother, John William Waagen. Our special thanks for the compassionate care Don received from Dr. Joseph Te and his staff in Saint George, Dr. Wolfram Samlowski and his staff in Las Vegas, Nevada, and Southern Utah hospice care, especially Lisa Ross, who was a true angel. Our love and thanks to all of them for their love, care and concern. Funeral services will be Tuesday, Oct. 7th at 11 a.m. Hurricane 15th Ward Chapel at 1178 S. 700 W., Hurricane. Friends may call Monday, Oct. 6th at 6 p.m. at the Hurricane Mortuary at 140 N. Main Street and prior to the funeral services from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. at the Hurricane 15th Ward Chapel. Interment will take place in the Wasatch Lawn Memorial Park in Salt Lake City, Utah on Wed., Oct. 15, 2008 at 3 p.m. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Huntsman Cancer Center, Salt Lake City, Utah or Nevada Cancer Institute, Las Vegas, Nevada. Arrangements are made under the direction of Spilsbury Mortuary, 110 South Bluff Street, Saint George Utah. (435) 673-2454. Friends and family are invited to offer their condolences at www.spilsburymortuary.com