William Hage

1924 - 2021

William Arthur Hage

William Arthur Hage passed peacefully in his sleep June 29, 2021, at his home in San Francisco, California at the age of 97.

Born March 17, 1924 in Brooklyn, New York, he was the third son of German immigrant Johannes Gustav Hagelstein, an Episcopalian Minister, and Anna Susanna Wacknitz Hagelstein, an Indiana school teacher. The family moved to Arizona in the early 1930's for Johannes' health. In 1942, at the age of 17, William enlisted in the Army Air Corps and in February 1943 he was called to active duty. He finished pilot training and was commissioned as 2nd Lieutenant in Pampas, Texas in April 1944, completed B-26 Transition training at Barksdale Field, Shreveport, Louisiana in September 1944, and arrived in Cambrai, France the following month where he joined the 394th Bomb Group of the 9th Air Force. He flew 19 combat missions and was awarded the Air Medal with Oak Leaf Clusters along with several Campaign and Battle medals for his service.

After he was honorably discharged in November 1945, he attended San Francisco City College to bring up his grade level and was admitted to Stanford University Upper Division in the fall of 1947. He graduated with a Major in Economics and a Minor in Political Science in the spring of 1949.

After graduation, he joined Columbia-Geneva Steel Company's Pittsburg, California plant in the Production Planning Department. In 1951, he joined Crocker First National Bank in their Investment Analysis Department. In May 1951, he and Katharine Morse were married. In 1960, he was appointed head of the Trust Investment Department in Crocker's Santa Barbara Office. In 1963, he returned to the San Francisco headquarters, and held a succession of senior positions, including head of the San Francisco Trust Investment Department with its staff of some 30 professionals. He also participated in a program leading to his professional designation as a Chartered Financial Analyst the following year. In 1970, he became a member of the Merchants Exchange Club, a men's luncheon facility. In 1978, he became the head of the statewide Trust Investment Department and retired in 1986 after the organization was absorbed by Wells Fargo Bank.

After his retirement, William served as an arbitrator for the Pacific Stock Exchange, the NASD and the New York Stock Exchange until 1994. He also took up ballroom dancing and joined the Golden Gate Chapter of the National Smooth Dancers and became the Editor of their bimonthly magazine. In March 1997, he and Elizabeth P. L. Wong were married and he served as her Escort during her reign as Centennial Queen for the Golden Gate Chapter as she traveled to other dance chapters throughout California, and continued to serve her in love throughout the duration of her life.

He was known by his friends as "Bill" and by his nieces and nephews as Uncle Will. He was an unforgettable man who was loved by all. He was spirited in heart, loved to travel statewide and abroad, adventuresome, was quick to smile and laugh, had a great sense of humor, was filled with compassion and tenderness, thoughtful, a good listener/problem solver, loving, intelligent, kind, generous, affectionate, refined, well dressed, well mannered, well spoken, charismatic, a lover of classical music and opera, an accomplished ballroom dancer, a wine connoisseur, and a lover of fast cars.

He is preceded in death by his father Johannes, mother Anna, brothers Hans, Frederick, and Richard, and his wife Elizabeth Wong Hage. He is survived by his brother James B. Hagelstein, Gold Canyon, Arizona, niece Kara Helland, Pinetop, Arizona, nephew John R. Hagelstein, Lakeside Arizona, niece Susan Jones, La Puente, California, niece Francis Arbiso, Anderson, California, niece Debra Swank, Cottonwood, California, nephew Mitchell Hagelstein, Moreno Valley, California, niece Mary Larrowe, Hacienda Heights, California, nephew Chester Petersen, The Dalles, Oregon, niece Anne Clawson, Prescott, Arizona, nephew Peter Hagelstein, Carlisle, Massachusetts, niece Patricia Truitt, Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, step-daughter Yvonne Chester, Napa, California, grandson Jonathan Chester, San Francisco, California, and many great-nieces and great-nephews.

Bill was laid to rest following a military service July 8, 2021 at Cypress Lawn Memorial Park, Olivet Gardens, Colma, California.