Gazena Hagen

Published 12:00 am Saturday, December 19, 2009

Funeral services for Gazena Hagen, age 93, of Albert Lea will be held at 11 a.m. Monday at Lunder Lutheran Church. The Rev. Tammy Dahlvang will officiate. Interment will be at Lunder Lutheran Cemetery. Visitation will be from 4 to 6 p.m. Sunday at Bayview/Freeborn Funeral Home and one hour prior to the service at the church.
Gazena died Friday, Dec. 18, 2009, at St. John’s Lutheran Home.
Gazena Hagen was born on June 25, 1916, to Henry and Geesien (Everts) Baas in Austinville, Iowa. She was baptized in Ackley, Iowa, and confirmed at Lunder Lutheran Church. Gazena moved to Hollandale as a young girl and attended Hollandale Reformed Church. She also attended school in Hollandale. After completing school, Gazena came to Albert Lea and worked as a housekeeper for a doctor’s family. Later, she worked at a grocery store in Twin Lakes and took care of a child for a family there. Gazena also worked for Kansota Farms. On Dec. 22, 1935, she was united in marriage to William Hagen at Trinity Lutheran Church. The couple lived with William’s parents, farming for 13 years. Then they bought their own farm south of Twin Lakes and continued to farm for 17 years, until they retired from farming and moved to Albert Lea, where they lived for the next nine years. The couple then returned to Twin Lakes. Following William’s death in 1986, Gazena continued to live in Twin Lakes until coming to St. John’s Lutheran Home in 2006. She liked all the people, both staff and residents, at St. John’s. She was very appreciative of the care she received there. Through the years, she was an active member of Lunder Lutheran Church and the Naomi Circle there. She was also a member of the Twin Lakes Senior Citizens.  Gazena enjoyed gardening, flowers, sewing quilts and was proud to have sewn a quilt every year since 1935 for missions. Gazena looked forward to visits from her family and especially enjoyed her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She was a loving, gracious lady who loved the Lord.
Survivors include her children Ronald (Barbara) Hagen of Bricelyn, Sandra (Jack) Smith of Scarville, Iowa, and David (Carol) Hagen of rural Glenville; grandchildren Judy Siemasko, Lonny (Karen) Hagen, Jeffrey Hagen, Laurie (Terry) David, Sheryl (Gordy) Kuether, Dawn Hagen, Lisa (Nicho Madrigal) Carlsen, Amy (Dave) Stanek, Nicholas Smith and fiancé, Bina George, Kristina (Jason) Petterson, Melissa (Mike Wandersee) Hagen and Jordan Hagen; 21 great-grandchildren; two great-great-grandchildren; sisters-in-law Gwen Baas and Carol Baas; and many nieces and nephews.
Gazena was preceded in death by parents; husband, William; son, Duane; daughter, Sharon; great-grandson, Brandon Hagen; nine brothers and sisters: Grace Arthur, Frances Kramer, Jakob Baas, Okko Baas, Annie Dykhoff, Jennie DeRaad, Okelena Hayes, Henry Baas and Benjamin Baas.