Donald Hagert

Donald James Hagert, age 92, of Decorah died February 10, 2022, at Wellington Place, where he had resided for nearly five years. For over 35 years, Don was a large-engine diesel mechanic and fabricator of large motor equipment parts at Fred Carlson Company in Decorah. He had a private pilot's license, and on occasion would fly his personal airplane on company business. Don was born on the family farm on October 12, 1929, to Joseph and Anna (Gossling) Hagert of Wabasso, Minnesota. After his mother's death from breast cancer in 1937, he lived in Remsen, Iowa, with his maternal grandfather, Henry Gossling, and aunt Clara Gossling. He graduated from St. Mary's Catholic High School in Remsen in 1947, and later he completed a summer-long certification class in industrial engineering at Harvard University. Prior to his employment at Fred Carlson Co., he worked at Western Contractors, which constructed reservoir dams on the Missouri River, Vivien Equipment Company in Ames, Iowa, Ellis & Capp Equipment Company in Greeley, Colorado, and Westinghouse in Iowa. Don had wide-ranging interests. He was a rock hound, a master of crossword puzzles, and enjoyed building and flying private planes, watching game shows, reading novels, collecting coins, tinkering with his classic cars, watching birds and refinishing antique furniture. For over 20 years he spent his winters in Yuma, Arizona, where he had fun manning a small fruit stand and panning for gold in the mountains with his brother Harold. He was a practical joker and delighted in a good laugh. Don was a longtime member of St. Benedict Catholic Church in Decorah. Survivors include three daughters, Mary Lee (Karl) Isely of Cottage Grove, MN, Crystal Hagert of Davenport, IA, and Lori Ann (Mike) Gilmore; one son, James Hagert of Ames; grandchildren, Abbey Jean (Matthew) Rardin, Benjamin Hagert, Zachary Hagert, Christopher Isely, Kevin Isely, Nathan Gilmore and Matthew Gilmore; and five great-grandchildren, Hunter, Emersyn and Jace Hagert, and Kaley and Libby Jo Rardin; one half-sister, Lorraine Schreyer of Bloomington, MN; and one sister-in-law, Marie Hagert of Remsen. He was preceded in death by his parents, three brothers, Harold, Gerald and Virgil; three sisters, Jeanette Howcroft, Virginia Cambier and Rita Morehead; and nine half-brothers and sisters, Marcella Baune, Agnes Eichten, Marie Fernholz, Kathryn Hagert, Edmund Hagert, Edward Hagert, Lucille Jelleberg, Joseph Hagert and Louise Hagert. A funeral mass and burial are planned in Remsen this spring. Funeral arrangements are being coordinated by Schluter-Balik Funeral Home in Decorah.