Dean Hagen

Dr. Dean Smith Hagen, PhD sailed into the sunset on Feb. 22, 2014, at the age of 80. He died suddenly of natural causes while asleep at home in Slidell, La. (New Orleans area) where he'd lived for many years. He was born on Aug. 8, 1933, in Washburn, to Kate (Smith) and Mike Hagen - the second of four children.

Dean was an all-star athlete and graduated from Washburn High in the class of 1951. A broken leg during baseball led to his being an announcer for high school games when coaches wanted to find a place for Dean during his recovery. This later led to his being a radio announcer at KEYZ Williston with his popular show "Dean's Drive." In 1955, Dean married the 1952 'Miss Tioga Oil Queen' Phyllis Barry of Williston with whom he had three sons. They moved to Grand Forks where he also worked as a radio announcer while completing his degree at UND.

He later earned two master's degrees (San Francisco State and Oregon State) and a PhD (Florida State). He went on to being a very popular and dynamic professor of counselor education at Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton, Fla. Life's adventures years later led him to settling down near New Orleans with his second wife, Sharon Howes, with whom he had one daughter.

With his North Dakota roots, many family members survive Dean's passing. Immediate family include his wife, Sharon, Slidell; his children, Mike Hagen, Bakersfield, Calif., Barry Hagen, Sparks, Nev., and Lt. Katie Hagen, Jacobson, USN, San Diego, Calif.; his sisters, Vernell Yunker, Washburn, and Vickie Hagen, Mandan; his brother, Jay D Hagen, Rapid City, S.D; and two grandchildren, Charlie Marie Hagen, Reno, Nev., and Joe Barry Hagen, Reno.

Dean is also survived by his first wife, Phyllis Denison, with whom he stayed for a year (at her home in Bakersfield) after his waterfront home was destroyed by a 20 foot tidal surge from Hurricane Katrina in 2005. He attended her wedding the following year and they remained very good friends to the end.

A Celebration of Life ceremony was held in Slidell with the Mardi Gras environment and spirit that Dean and Sharon both enjoyed. Other reflective memorials are planned for later this spring in California and Florida. Dean will join other family members who have gone before him with his grave being in the Hensler cemetery.

His late grandma Lottie Smith might easily have said, "Well - finally Dean, you're moving back to North Dakota!" Having said that, Lottie and her grandson Dean would enjoy sharing a great laugh together, both with the knowledge that it really is so nice to have family to come home to. Welcome home Dean Smith Hagen.