Richard "Dick" Lee Hagen, a cherished husband, father, brother, and friend, passed away peacefully in bed at home on Sunday, February 11 at the age of 89 under the care of his family and Northern Illinois Hospice.

Born on December 12, 1934, in Princeton, IL, he grew up in Princeton and Sycamore, IL, along with his sisters, Marilyn and Carlotta. His father, Lee, owned Hagen's Ace Hardware across from the DeKalb County Courthouse in downtown Sycamore. His mother, Dorothy (Harried), a former Latin teacher, dedicated herself to her husband and children, the family store, many community organizations, and Salem Lutheran Church, where Dick would later bring his own family. Dick's upbringing was marked by the values of hard work, commitment, adventure, and family.

After graduating from Sycamore High School in 1953, Dick pursued a business major at the University of Illinois. He found community and friendship in the Delta Upsilon fraternity, where he earned his fraternity nickname "Pinky" by accidentally dying his white T-shirts while doing laundry. During his time at school, he organized concerts and special events for his fellow students as a member of the Illinois Union Board.

Additionally, Dick's commitment to service led him to join the ROTC while at college, and following graduation in 1957, he served in the Navy for three years. Assigned to an aircraft carrier stationed in Boston, the carrier deployed overseas in non-combat roles, and Dick has great memories of a tour in the Mediterranean, including France and Italy. Upon returning home, Dick began a career in sales with IBM in Chicago before eventually returning to Sycamore in 1966 after his father passed away unexpectedly. Taking over for the family business, he became the local hardware store owner and followed in his dad's footsteps with quiet dedication. As a local businessman, he was a committed Rotarian with over 30 years of service and went out of his way to maintain a perfect attendance record. Since Rotary allowed members to make up for any missed local meetings, Dick would always find and visit the nearest Rotary chapter during his travels to different cities and states, even while abroad.

Dick was generally at Hagen's Ace Hardware open-to-close, and ready with a helping hand to employees and customers alike. Because he maintained a store phone line at home and would answer it at any time, he was known to make quick runs back to town to help customers after normal business hours and sometimes on holidays. This includes more than one "emergency" call for batteries on Christmas Day over the years. (Not all heroes wear capes.) The hardware store, including the second- and third-floor storage areas, also provided a unique place for his future children to explore while visiting Dad at work, and was the perfect vantage point to watch the annual Pumpkin Festival Parade.

But most significantly, it was at the store where he met the love of his life, Karen (Dooley), when she came in to buy a bicycle. This chance encounter quickly blossomed into a lifelong partnership and they were married on January 24, 1970. While Dick continued to run the store, Karen transitioned from being a county health department nurse to Director of then DeKalb County Hospice. Together, Dick and Karen raised their children, Carl Edward and Michelle Lynn, with love, creativity, and practical wisdom.

Known for his adventurous spirit, Dick was bold to try new things and embrace life's adventures. He learned to dance the Jitterbug in college, and would surprise family and friends with his fancy footwork at a handful of celebratory occasions. After first learning to ski during an IBM work outing in his 20s, he passed on his love of the sport to his kids during many day trips to Wisconsin and a few weeklong vacations to Colorado. He was always an enthusiastic "Yes" and ready for whatever the family was interested in doing. Dick enjoyed playing (and fiercely competing in) cards and board games, pool, ping-pong, and tennis with his children. Movie nights in DeKalb were common, as were trips to Great America and museum trips to Chicago.

Ever on the lookout for opportunities to surprise his family, Dick once spontaneously bought a used boat an hour before the family's planned drive to their Wisconsin cottage rental. The boat was a source of great amusement to family and friends due to the numerous problems it encountered, whether at the dock or more urgently out on the water. No matter, he was proud to captain, and the boat provided many fun experiences tubing and waterskiing with his children and the children of close family friends. Dick, Karen and the kids vacationed every summer for many years with the Joe & Sherry Brennan family of Illinois and the Bob & Jane Lightell family of Oregon.

Dick was a loyal fan of University of Illinois football and once braved snow and sub-zero temperatures with his daughter to witness the famous last-minute drive comeback victory against Minnesota in 1993. He also enthusiastically planned family vacations around U of I bowl games, including the 1984 Rose Bowl in Pasadena and 2002 Sugar Bowl in New Orleans.

In addition to running the hardware store, Dick's entrepreneurial spirit led him to establish the successful University Rental Service. URS primarily rented mini-fridges to university students across the Midwest, but Dick would also rent tools and electronics from the office or even his home if requested. His children have a fond, in-hindsight anyway, memory of Dad renting out the family VCR for a week. Dick continued this business after selling the hardware store, and despite facing challenges of competition and shifting markets, he remained resilient with hard work and perseverance until his full retirement in 2006.

A man of few words, Dick was known for his quiet demeanor and warm smile, and he touched the lives of many with his gentle kindness. Nothing seemed to faze him and he never complained about anything. The family joked that he was always "fine" when asked. Everything was manageable and doable. He was truly a great provider and a rock of loving support for his family.

Dick was preceded in death by his parents Lee and Dorothy Hagen. He will be dearly missed by his surviving family, including his loving wife, Karen of 54 years; his son Carl "Ed" Hagen of Sycamore; and daughter Michelle (Josh) Holm of St. Charles, and his grandchildren George and Hagen Holm.

He is also survived by his older sister Marilyn (Craig) Ause of Iowa, nephews Eric Ause of Chicago and Peter Ause of Iowa, and niece Kristin (Jim) Ellias of Ohio; and by his younger sister Carlotta (Gary) Bielfeldt of Peoria Heights, nephew David (Julie) Bielfeldt, and nieces Linda (Ted) Bielfeldt Greene and Karen Bielfeldt, of Peoria Heights. On his wife's side of the family, he is survived by nieces Julie (Dale) Geiger of Arizona and Jennifer English of Indiana, and nephew Josh (Monika) English of West Virginia.

The family would like to thank Northern Illinois Hospice for the wonderful care they provided during Dick's final months.

There is no visitation or service, and he will be buried next to his parents in Elmwood Cemetery at a private family service.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to Northern Illinois Hospice, 2225 Gateway Dr, Sycamore, IL 60178 (phone: 815-398-0500) in memory of Richard Lee Hagen.

To sign the online guest book or share a special memory- go to www.ButalaFuneralHomes.com