August 30, 1944 – June 18, 2025
It is with great sadness and heavy hearts that we announce the unexpected passing of Neil Hagen on Wednesday, June 18th, 2025 at home at the age of 80. He is survived by his wife of almost 52 years, Gloria; daughter, Heather, and son, Cameron (Lori-Ann); and grandchildren, Sage, Matthew, Hagen, Halle and Hunter. Also surviving are his brother Carl (Lynne); and sisters-in-law Gail, Glenda (Chuck), Alma (Bill), and Heather (Bob) and he was predeceased by his older brother Walt. Neil will also be remembered fondly by his many nieces and nephews and, more recently, great nieces and nephews.
Our dad made a lasting impression on everyone he met which has become abundantly clear to the family since his passing. He had a presence and personality that filled a room and the emptiness that has left us all with will be hard to fill. From his work ethic to his meticulous attention to detail, to the absolute joy he found in vacationing at our family cabin, Dad taught us the broad spectrum that is a life well-lived.
As kids, we would beg him to tell us stories of his childhood adventures. He would regularly entertain us with stories of tagging along with his older brothers as they taught him how to wreak havoc on the streets of Weston. Academics were never his strong suit, but he revelled in his time playing sports with his friends. His goalie pads were catalogues; frozen horse dung was a puck and – of course – no helmet!
Dad started a career in printing right out of high school. He worked his way through the back room, doing graphic arts, to eventually retiring from a successful sales career with Quebecor in 2008. Dad taught us the importance of a strong work ethic, but he also illustrated the value of not living to work but working to live. He was happy to tell people he would spend his retirement doing “stuff” and that’s exactly what he did.
Mum and Dad met in 1971. Dad was in a curling bonspiel and found himself up against his future father-in-law. Grandpa thought he was curling a bunch of neat guys, out on the ice in their sunglasses. He encouraged Mum to come down to the club to see what would happen. Lucky for us, there was a spark and a life took hold. Mum and Dad worked well together. They were both organized and focused on making the most of their down time. We remember watching them on Friday nights as kids, planning out exactly how their weekend would go. This attention to detail made us feel safe and loved and we will always be grateful to them for that.
We take comfort in the fact that dad had full quality of life up until the very end. He set a lasting example to prioritize staying active, doing the things you love. Over the years, we have been fortunate enough to be part of his fan club as he participated in fastball, racquetball, curling and golf. In fact, on the day we said goodbye, he had his golf clubs already packed in his truck for a 1 o’clock tee time.
He loved his family and being a man who wore his heart on his sleeve, we never had to question it. Grandchildren fondly remember food drop-offs to college dorms, bad jokes, fishing, Bomber Games, watching and talking about sports together, dim sum, water-skiing, knee-boarding, sleepovers, spring break visits, swimming and standing on “his rock”, family meals around the table and he’ll always be remembered for his second-to-none gravy. Of course, everyone will remember him for being a dedicated Bomber fan. He was proud to have been a 30-year season ticket holder, with seats right behind the Bomber bench and we all celebrated their win last Saturday against BC with a new fire in our hearts. Thanks Dad.
Laclu has maybe been the biggest part of his story. His grandfather purchased property there, which his father eventually bought and sold off as lots. It meant the world to him to build his own cabin and have his kids build cabins close by. It’s hard to describe the community we all have down there but for dad, it meant being close to family and the very closest of friends. As per his wishes, Dad’s celebration of life will be a party at Laclu – a full circle moment to honour a life well-lived.
We recognize the reach he’s had through all his diverse hobbies and how the suddenness of his passing can make it difficult to find closure. We encourage those who were close with him to raise a glass after a golf game, during Tuesday afternoon beers, watching the Bombers, Jets or during the next Briar. Please reach out to the family and let us know how you honoured Dad. It means so much to us.
Should anyone so desire, donations would be gratefully accepted at Assiniboine Golf Club to their Junior Golf Program, in Dad’s name.
Family and friends are invited to share memories and condolences on Neil’s memorial page using the comment field below.