Obituaries : Patricia Darlene Eash Hagen

Patricia Darlene Eash Hagen, 85, of Waverly, Iowa, died on November 15, 2021. Patricia was born September 21, 1936 in Wellman, Iowa, to Doris Patricia (Foreman) Eash and Stanley Monroe Eash. She grew up on the family farm near Wellman graduating from Wellman Public High School in 1954. She attended the University of Iowa with a double major in voice and piano, graduating with a Bachelor of Music degree, and also attended Drake University where she completed an elementary and junior high classroom teaching degree.

In 1958 she began teaching vocal music, grades 5-12 in Vinton, Iowa. In her third year at Vinton, she accomplished a seldom achieved event by having the maximum number of students from one school (28) selected for the Iowa All State Chorus. On July 1, 1961 she was united in marriage to Alan John Hagen and the couple made their home in Dysart, Iowa, where Alan taught vocal music K-12 and Patricia taught fifth-grade classroom education.

In 1962 they moved to Waverly, Iowa, and Alan became the Waverly-Shell Rock Choral Director. They began their family with daughter Nancy Ann and later with twins, Carol Marie and John Douglas. Patricia established a flourishing private piano and voice studio with many of her students winning accolades. She served as a vocal coach and accompanist for the W-SR High School vocal and band departments. She performed Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue with the W-SR Concert Band under the direction of Roland Brom. She served as an adjunct piano and voice instructor, as well as an instructor of voice and piano classes at Wartburg College. Patricia became director of Music Ministries at St. Paul's Lutheran Church and School in 1986 and organist in 1988. She provided considerable special music for worship through St. Paul's church musicians and directed various children's and youth choirs as well as introducing organ plus mini concerts, and created Christmas festivals and cantatas with chamber orchestra involving upwards of 150 St. Paul's members. Other activities included St. Paul's annual Talent Showcase and Dessert Event and a production of the musical ""Amahl and The Night Visitors."" She, along with Pastor Michael Burk of St. Paul's, currently Bishop of the Southeastern Iowa Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, formed the new contemporary worship service at St. Paul's Lutheran Church. She accompanied the Chancel Choir for over 50 years. Patricia retired from her duties at St. Paul's in 2010 and after retirement, she volunteered her talents through serving as pianist for Saturday night worship at St. Paul's as well as pianist for Sunday morning worship at Bartels Retirement Community.

Patricia was a member of the Music Teachers National Association and was cited as a Permanent Professional Certified teacher of music in both piano and voice. She was also a member of the Iowa Music Teachers Association and the Northeastern Area Music Teachers Association, the American Lutheran Church Musicians and the American Guild of Organists. In 1996, Patricia was a co-recipient, along with husband, Alan, of a certificate of appreciation for outstanding contributions to choral music education from Dr. Paul Torkelson of Wartburg College and Weston Noble of Luther College. In 1996, she had an unprecedented triumph at the Dorian Music Festival at Luther College with three out of five soloists selected from over 600 auditions to perform on the festival concert. Patricia served as piano and organ accompanist on three W-SR European choir tours including the 14th International Youth and Music Festival in Vienna where the W-SR Chamber Choir won the PRIZE OF VIENNA. She performed on the organ in St. Stephens Cathedral in Vienna, in Prague and St. George's church in Eisenach, Germany. The Dr. James and Evelyn Rathe family established a very generous endowment with the Go-Hawk Scholarship Fund at Waverly-Shell Rock, naming the gift in honor of Alan and Patricia for their outstanding work in choral music education throughout the school and community.

Patricia was a member of St. Paul's Lutheran Church and School and in earlier years was a Sunday School teacher. She attended an ongoing Bible study group at St. Paul's. She was a member of P.E.O. Chapter BC, a philanthropic organization where women celebrate the advancement of women's education through scholarships, grants, awards and loans.

Patricia cherished her children and their families and the 48 wonderful years of working as a team with her beloved husband, Alan, throughout their music careers. They celebrated their 59th wedding anniversary July 1, 2020. Her life was enriched greatly through her many private music students and their parents, as well as St. Paul's Lutheran Church & School congregational church musicians and members at large.

She is survived by daughters Nancy Ann Hagen, of Iowa City, Iowa, and Carol Marie Daubs, of Madison, Wisconsin, son John Douglas (Lori) Hagen, of Kansas City, Missouri, grandchildren Alyssa Daubs (Jared) VanHecker, Michael Daubs, Alissa Ryckert, Bianca Ryckert and Caitlin (Nick) Zabek, and great-grandchildren Lucas Zabek and Zoe Zabek. She was preceded in death by husband Alan, son-in-law Jonathon Thull, brother James Foreman Eash and her parents.

A Celebration of Life service for Patricia and her husband, Alan, will be held at St. Paul's Lutheran Church in Waverly at 11 a.m. on January 22, 2022, with a luncheon following. Interment will be in the Harlington Cemetery in Waverly. Kaiser-Corson Funeral Homes is assisting with arrangements. Memorial gifts may be directed to the Waverly-Shell Rock Go Hawk Scholarship Fund and St. Paul's Lutheran Church and School and can be sent to John Hagen, 3309 NE 92nd St., Kansas City, MO 64156.