Stephen Robert "Steve" Hagar

1948 - 2017

Stephen Robert "Steve" Hagar, beloved husband, father, papa and friend, caught the noon train to the next life on Tuesday, January 24, 2017, due to complications of cancer.

His wife, daughter, son-in-law and sister-in-law sent him off with words of love and encouragement. I'm sure he was asking to sound the horn as the train pulled into the station.

Steve was born to Shirley (Smith) and Robert Hagar on September 15, 1948, in Tacoma, Washington, the oldest of their four children and the only son. He served in the U.S. Navy during the Vietnam conflict and attended Highline Community College.

While on layoff from Boeing, he came to Port Angeles to help his best friend build a cabin. He fell in love with the area and decided to stay. He worked for Olympic Stationers for more than 40 years.

Steve married Linda Kronberg in 1979, and they had a son, Aaron. Though the marriage ended in divorce, they remained friendly so that Aaron could be raised with the love and security of both parents.

He met me, Carol Pastorelli Thies, in 1983 on a blind date while I was visiting Port Angeles from Wisconsin. We fell in love through the long letters we exchanged and married in June 1984. He was a good husband and a kind and loving father to my children.

Steve went through life in wide-eyed wonderment and was always willing and excited to learn something new. In recent years, he discovered he loved road trips and was eager to stop along the way and take in the sights, striking up many conversations and making new friends.

Trains were his passion, and he was never so happy as when he would have to wait at a train crossing. He was a model train buff and enjoyed weathering cars, building sidings and attending model train shows.

Steve was preceded in death by his parents, Shirley and Bob Hagar; my parents, Joe and Betty Pastorelli; and my brother Joe Pastorelli.

Survivors include his son, Aaron (Nichole) Hagar, and their daughter, Evelyn (Madison, Wisconsin); daughter Jodi Catania (Steven Webber) and grandchildren Adam Stigall, Hayden Webber and Niya Malmberg (Port Angeles); son Paul (Chris) Thies and grandchildren Kayla and Adrian Thies (Porterfield, Wisconsin); great-grandson Jaxson Stigall; sisters Susan (Dennis) Whipple, Donna Hagar and Holly (Art) Norquist (Puyallup, Washington); my sisters, Nancy (Tom) Schiedermayer (Beaver) and Mary (Scott) England (Minneapolis, Minnesota); my brothers, Mike (Tina) Pastorelli and Phil (Kris) Pastorelli (Appleton, Wisconsin); and his best friend for more than 40 years, Steve Lo'Presti, plus many nieces and nephews.

I want to give a special thank-you to my sister, Nancy Schiedermayer, RN, who helped me care for Steve the last two weeks of his life; to her husband, Tom, who supported her decision to do so; to my daughter, Jodi Catania, who helped make his last days comfortable with her foot rubs, and her husband, Steve Webber, for his support; and to Steve Lo'Presti, who, with Jodi's assistance, built a wheelchair ramp for us and was just the best friend a guy could have.

I will miss you every day, Steve. Save me a seat.

There will be a celebration of life on Saturday, May 20, 2017, from 2 p.m. till 5 p.m. hosted by Steve Lo'Presti, 374 Rife Road, Port Angeles.

Please sign Steve's online guestbook at www.drennanford.com.