Dion Lynn Hager, 80, of Fairfield, Montana, passed away at his home in Weslaco, Texas, on September 26th from complications related to cancer.
Dion was the second child born to Ramaldus and Magdalen Hager on February 25th, 1946, in Rugby, ND. In 1947, the family bought a farm on the Fairfield Bench, moving from Selz, ND. He attended Greenfield Elementary School and graduated from Fairfield High School in 1964. He attended both Carroll College and the University of Montana.
In 1971, Dion graduated from Mount Hood Community College in Gresham, Oregon, with a degree in Mortuary Science. Upon graduation, he was employed at Whiteside Funeral Home in Aberdeen, Washington. He later returned to the Hager family farm where he continued a life in agriculture for nearly 40 years.
During those years, he also worked part-time for Banks Funeral Home in Choteau, MT, and the Chapel of Chimes in Great Falls, MT. In 1970, Dion married Sharon Smith, and together they raised 2 sons, Justin and Jordan, on the family farm.
Dion was an active member of the Montana National Guard and was given an honorable discharge after 17 1/2 years of service.
Dion had a great sense of humor and loved dancing and singing. He later took up woodworking as a hobby and made beautiful handcrafted items.
Dion is survived by his two sons Justin (Kyle) Hager of Great Falls, MT, Jordan (Kim) Hager of Austin, TX along with his three grandchildren, Dane, Dylan and Emerson Hager. Other survivors are his sister Collette (Skip) Neuman, brother Mike Hager, foster sister Shirley Cure Brillhart, and ex-wife Shirley Dickhoff Hager, along with several nieces and a nephew. He was preceded in death by his parents, Ramaldus and Magdalen, and sister Linda Hager.
