Rockhound and MBMS/SRAGC member
CLARENCE EUGENE "Gene" HAGBERG Sr.
Gene was born in Minnesota, but lived in Superior, WI. for 37 years. He and his wife Shirley were childhood sweethearts, and married on St. Patrick's Day, 1945. He learned his strong work ethics when he was young with a printing business and a delivery business that he ran with his Harley with sidecar. He enlisted in the U.S. Navy in 1942, to become an F6F Hellcat carrier pilot until the end of the war. His love of flying took him to the U.S. Air Force Reserve as an F94 pilot and a summertime crop dusting pilot in Montana. During those post war years in Superior, he also worked with the Chicago Northwestern Railroad as a switchman. In 1959, Gene became an air traffic controller, in the Oakland Center, and in 1962, at Fort Ord. When he retired in 1984 he dove into his life long interest of lapidary and rock hounding, becoming a very active lifetime member of the Monterey Bay Mineral Society. In 2002 Gene and Shirley moved to Fresno to be closer to family. Gene was loved and respected by his children, grandchildren and those who knew him for setting an example of helpfulness, hard work, and ethical behavior. He will be missed, talked about, and thought of often with fond memories. The family wishes to thank Dr. Steve Chooljian and nurse Di for their compassionate care, the staff of Cottonwood Court for their loving attention, and Nancy Hinds for their excellent hospice care. Gene was predeceased by his parents, Clarence and Verna Hagberg; his sisters, Eleanor Westby, Luana Bernard, and LaVerne Fisher. He is survived by Shirley A., his wife of 65 years; sons Skip and his wife Jackie, Steve and his wife Anne, and Chris and his wife Shirley M.; and his daughter, Sue Hedman and her husband Bill. Gene is also survived by three grandchildren, three great-grandchildren, three stepgrandchildren, and four stepgreatgrandchildren.
A Funeral Service will be held at the Clovis Funeral Chapel on Thursday, March 18, 2010, at 10:00 a.m., and a Graveside Service to follow with military honors at San Joaquin Valley National Cemetery in Gustine at 2:00 p.m. on the same day. In lieu of flowers please make contributions to the Valley Center for the Blind, 2491 W. Shaw Ave. Suite 124, Fresno, Ca. 93711, or a charity of your choice. CLOVIS FUNERAL CHAPEL 1302 Clovis Avenue Clovis, California (559)298-7536 Published in Fresno Bee on March 16, 2010 print
