Eugene Francis Hagel

Eugene Francis Hagel, 80, of Mission, Kansas, passed away on February 1, 2021. Eugene (Gene) was born on October 17, 1940, in Effingham, Kansas, the son of Paul and Mary (Weishaar) Hagel. Gene graduated from Maur Hill High School of Atchison, KS in 1958. He entered the U.S. Air Force in July 1958 where he was involved in the Cuban Missile Crisis. He was honorably discharged in April 1963. Gene loved to tell everyone how he met Helen Wagner at a broom dance in the 8th grade and told his buddy he was going to marry her someday. He fulfilled that dream, marrying Helen on November 16th, 1963. Gene and Helen had four children: Mike, Mary, Latricia (Trish), and Laura. He was a GREAT dad, always greeting his kids in the morning with a ‘Rise and Shine’ or an ‘Up and at ‘em.’ The family was members of Sun N’ Surf Club for many years, where Gene taught his kids to swim. He loved watching his kids sporting events, as well as the Kansas City Royals, Chiefs, and KU Jayhawks. He was a member of Sacred Heart Catholic Church for over 50 years. Gene took early retirement from the Board of Public Utilities in 1996. Gene and Helen loved to travel and had been to all 50 states, plus several cruises and other continents. They often visited his two siblings who had retired in Apache Junction, AZ. Since 1990, Gene and Helen enjoyed their lake property at Linn Valley Lakes. Gene enjoyed playing golf, fishing, watching the birds, and the silliness of his kids and grandkids. Gene could often be seen wearing one of his grandchildren t-shirts, enjoying the opportunity to talk about them and their accomplishments. He loved to attend their activities from births and baptisms, to band concerts, sporting events, musicals, graduations, and weddings. Gene loved and appreciated his daughter-in-law Jill and sons-in-law Todd, Joe, and Matt for their support and dedication to the family and constant willingness to lend a hand. Throughout his life, he enjoyed playing card games with friends and family. He was always ready to attend a family get-together and especially enjoyed the snacks and desserts. Upon being diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, he made many new friends at the Parkinson’s Foundation Heartland taking exercise classes, and attending the annual Walk for the Cure and BasketBALL. Gene is preceded in death by both of his parents and brothers Gerald "Bud" Hagel and John Hagel. He is survived by his loving wife Helen Hagel of the home; son Michael (Jill) Hagel; daughters Mary (Todd) Fischer, Latricia (Joe) Guthrie and Laura (Matt) Logan; sisters Joanne Gerety, Dorothy Schmitz, and LaVerne Carbajo; grandchildren Zachery (Kaitlin), Kalie, Nicholas, Jeramie, Ashlie, Jacob, Michelle, Quincie, Luke, Presley, Charles and Abigail and great-grandchildren Benjamin, Jackson, and Mildred. Services will be held at Sacred Heart Catholic Church on Saturday, February 6th, followed by burial at Resurrection Catholic Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Parkinson’s Foundation Heartland 13451 Briar St., Suite 202 Leawood, KS 66209 or Sacred Heart Catholic Church 2646 S. 34th Street Kansas City, KS 66106. Livestream of services at https://fb.me/e/14wmT9PBF

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Eugene Francis Hagel

October 17, 1940 - February 1, 2021