JAMES ALLEN HAGEMEISTER

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JAMES (JIM) ALLEN HAGEMEISTER May 30, 1934 - April 26, 2017 On Wednesday, April 26, 2017, at age 82 years, Jim Hagemeister passed away at Seven Oaks Hospital, with family at his bedside. Jim was the youngest of five children born to John and Mary (Yakel) Hagemeister at the family homestead four miles south of Preeceville, SK. Jim is survived by his brother Jack (Marion), and was predeceased by sisters Dorothy, Margaret and Gladys. Married to his sweetheart and love of his life Anne (nee Gursby) for 57 years, they were true partners in life, raising a family while moving across Canada. Jim participated in the community, and enjoyed sports particularly when the kids and grandkids were involved. He enjoyed cooking and barbequing for his family and was an accomplished home chef. Jim was very proud of his family, children Susan and Ross (Susan); and grandchildren, Lachlin and Jacqueline; Ryan, Neil and Aileen. He will be missed by nieces and nephews Lynda, Lois, Evy, Colleen, Kenny, Kirk, Christi, Karen, and Jason. As a prairie boy, Jim rode a pony to a one room schoolhouse, and helped on the farm including driving tractor at age seven. He was a talented sportsman playing hockey, baseball and curling. After high school graduation Jim was hired to pitch for the Bowsman Maroons baseball team which was later inducted into the Manitoba Baseball Hall of Fame in 2001. Roy Taylor offered Jim a baseball scholarship at the College of Sequoias in Visalia, California where he spent a year pitching and learning his lifelong passion of golf on the campus five-hole course. Jim next attended the University of Saskatchewan, and took C.O.T.C. training at R.C.E.M.E. School in Kingston. Hearing there was pretty good baseball in town, he was a walk on pitcher for the Giants becoming a local sports celebrity. Jim pitched against Don Cherry and his brother who played for the Legionnaires. The engineering students, from across Canada at the base, wanted to meet some girls. Jim was on the committee that had to contact the House Mothers in nurses' residences. A BBQ was arranged. His roommate's date caught Jim's eye and he wasted no time calling her residence to invite Anne to a formal dance at the base. After she said yes, he said I'm playing baseball tonight, would you like to come? Not only was Jim great on the diamond, but he was smooth on the dance floor, and he could really Jive!! It was a summer of ballgames and dances, and falling in love with a wonderful man. Jim completed his Civil Engineering degree at North Dakota State where he was a popular member of the T.K.E. House. And yes, they had ball team. Anne and Jim were married in Saskatoon in 1959. After graduation Jim worked on the Iowa Inter-State Highway Project. He returned to Canada hired by Canada Cement as a Sales Engineer in Ottawa. He progressed to Special Projects (Potash) and then to District Sales Manager, and ultimately Corporate Manager Exports living in many Canadian cities. Later careers included other sales roles in the truck heavy trailer business and as an Insurance Broker back in Winnipeg. Jim loved golf and played at Wascana in Regina, Earl Grey in Calgary, St. Charles in Winnipeg, and at the Royal Montreal. He was also a member of the Manitoba Club and the Winter Club. Always a family man and loving father he also found time for the community. Jim was President of the St. James Seniors Centre and Chair of the Committee that established the Wellness Centre. He held volunteer and elected positions at St. Charles. Jim was a friend to all, just a small-town guy. Many thanks to the Seven Oaks Hospital Renal Care units (Peritoneal and Hemodialysis), especially Dr. C. Rigatto, and Dr. S. Dunsmore. Special thanks to Krista Stewart and the Lean Mean Kidney Machine Program. Thanks also to Dr. V. DeKorompay (those knees went a long way), Dr. W. Poon, Dr. R. Leicht, Dr. S. Leckie, and Dr. J. Kemp, and the many home care nurses. Please take the time to sign an organ donation card (see Signupforlife.ca). Respecting Jim's wishes, a service will not be held. In lieu of flowers, donations to the Assiniboine Park Conservancy - the Diversity Gardens Project in Jim's memory would be appreciated. Jim and Anne spent many enjoyable hours walking in the Park. Wojcik's Funeral Chapels & Crematoriums, Winnipeg, 2157 Portage Avenue, 204.897.4665 www.wojciksfuneralchapel.com

As published in Winnipeg Free Press on May 06, 2017