David Lynn "Lags" Lageschulte

1951 - 2014

DAVID "LAGS" LAGESCHULTE

March 11, 2014

It is with great sadness that we have to say good-bye to David Lageschulte (known by EVERYONE as "Lags").

Lags was born to Virginia and Raymond Lageschulte in Waverly, Iowa in 1951. He was raised on the Lageschulte family farm with his mother, father and three sisters, Donna, Cordell and Teri.

Lags graduated from Morningside College with a degree in business administration in 1973. After graduating from Morningside, Lags began his career in the heavy equipment business, which precipitated a move to Ft Myers, Florida in 1974. Beginning in the 1980's, Lags transformed his livelihood to include restaurant and entertainment concepts. In 1986, Lags became the controlling shareholder of one of the original licensees of the Hooters restaurant concept. That same year, he opened his first Hooters restaurant in Fort Myers, FL, where it remains today. Since that time, Lags and his original partners, Paul Lynch, Terry Brawner, Dale Regnier ("Champ") and Kit Klingensmith, remained together as respected friends and partners to develop Hooters restaurants that operate throughout Southeast and Southwest Florida. Lags was also instrumental to the success and development of the Hooters brand throughout the world.

Over the years, Lags co-founded several restaurant and entertainment concepts throughout the United States. Lags also developed and co-owned other businesses involved in an array of operations including health and fitness centers, medical clinics, geothermal, oil and gas well drilling, biodiesel, fuel products as well as real estate investment and development companies. Lags left us with over 100 businesses throughout the country that include business partners and friends who cherish the time he spent with us.

More important than anything Lags accomplished in business was his kindness, love and generosity. Throughout his life, Lags continued to give back to the community with his donations to a number of charitable and not-for-profit organizations. Lags helped build the Waverly Public Library building, the Dumont Public Library building, and an educational wing of the Trinity United Methodist Church in Waverly, Iowa. Lags provided Morningside College with the naming gift for Lags Hall, a leadership-style residence hall. Lags was also a major contributor and supporter of Stop Hunger Now and Self Help, a non-profit organization that provides assistance to people in Third World countries, such as Ghana and Nicaragua, by empowering the less fortunate to achieve economic dependence. Just before his passing Lags committed $500,000 toward the Assisted Living Memory Care project at Bartels Lutheran Retirement Community in Waverly.

Lags was also a contributor and major supporter of the H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute. Lags donated $1,000,000 to name the Ray Lageschulte Chair in Prostate Cancer. Through these funds, the Advanced Prostate Cancer Collaboration (APCC) was established to raise prostate cancer awareness; discuss new prostate cancer protocols; and raise money for prostate cancer research. Lags was the honorary chair at the Moffitt Center Magnolia Ball, where members of APCC challenged the audience to match a $600,000 gift from Lags, which was met and raised an additional $900,000.

Lags passed through the light on March 11, 2014 after his long and brave battle with cancer. For those that Lags touched, he is known for his casual attitude and attire, his love of life, and his ability to make anyone he was with feel important. He had many mottos. Here is one he would like us all to live by, "When you leave a room, you never want anyone to be happy you left."

Lags was preceded in death by his mother and father, Virginia and Ray Lageschulte. He is survived by his three sisters, Donna Speake (brother-in-law, Ken Speake), Cordell Lageschulte, Teri Edman, six nephews and a niece. Equally important, Lags left behind hundreds of lives that will continue to live in his memory, and attempt to walk in his footsteps. We will all miss you terribly my friend.

A funeral service is scheduled to take place at 2:00 PM March 22 at Trinity United Methodist Church in Waverly, Iowa. Burial will follow at Harlington Cemetery in Waverly.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be sent to www.stophungernow.org or www.selfhelpinternational.org.