Sadly have to report that cousin Phil Pagel has passed away today -- Phil had gone into hospice in Omaha I believe yesterday, was moved to the Blair Hospital today, and soon after our good Lord took him -- Phil was born in Poy Sippi, WI, attended Dana College in the 1950s, and dedicated his life to Dana -- he was Director of Public Relations for years, then became Vice President of the college -- Phil had so many friends over the years, friends that would stop to see him at office or home when they came to Blair -- after his father passed away, his mother Letha came to be with him for years, then his sister Lorraine "Toots" Jensen came to be with him -- he kept a strong positive attitude through the years as life got tougher for him -- in the end, perhaps it was a blessing for his time had come -- RIP, Phil Pagel
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Reflections by Chuck Jorgensen, Facebook
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Phillip A. Pagel, 1934-2014
Born Jan. 29, 1934 at his parents' home in Poy Sippi, WI, was the third child born to Letha Jorgensen and Alfred J. Pagel.
Died February 6, 2014. Preceded in death by infant brother and parents, Letha Jorgensen and Alfred Pagel. Survived by one sister, Lorraine Jensen of Blair/Minneapolis; one niece, Kathy Jensen and husband Gary Engstrand; one nephew, James Jensen and wife Pam; one great-nephew, Spencer Allen; one great-niece, Piper Jensen, all of Minneapolis; and numerous cousins and friends.
Service of Remembrance at 11 am on Wednesday, February 12 will be held in his honor at First Lutheran in Blair. Although there will be no visitation, friends are invited to greet the family at a luncheon following the service in the fellowship hall at the church. Memorials are suggested to Danish American Archive and Library, First Lutheran Church, or Memorial Community Hospital, all of Blair.
Pagel was baptized and confirmed at First English Lutheran Church in Poy Sippi--a Danish congregation of the former United Evangelical Lutheran Church.
He graduated from Berlin High School, Berlin, WI, and continued his education at Dana College, receiving his bachelor's degree in 1956.
Following graduation, he took a two-year appointment as Interim Director of Theater and Instructor in Speech at Waukesha Senior High School, Waukesha, Wisconsin.
During the summers of his college and teaching years, he served as program director at the Wisconsin Lions Camp for Visually Handicapped--the first camp of its type in the nation.
In the summer of 1958 he accepted an invitation to return to Dana to organize and manage the college's admissions/student recruitment program and was soon promoted to the position of director of public relations.
His professional career at Dana spanned 40 years. He served under six college presidents and was responsible for the ground breaking and dedication of ten major building projects. He carried various titles during those years and in 1985 was named the college's first Vice President for Institutional Advancement in charge of admissions, financial aid, alumni affairs, development/fund raising, public relations, news service, special events and conferences/conventions.
In 1970, he became a paraplegic as the result of spinal surgery. Although the surgery saved his life and relieved constant pain, it meant living and working from a wheelchair. Which is what he did--including designing and building a wheelchair-accessible home in Blair.
In a 1992 article by Harold Anderson, contributing editor of the Omaha World-Herald, Pagel was named to Andersen's "All Star Team" in recognition of his professional accomplishments in spite of his disability. And in 1994 he was awarded the Victories Award by Immanuel Hospital in Omaha. Between 1970 and his retirement, he served on numerous local, state, and national boards and commissions dealing with disability issues, including the President's Committee on Employment of the Handicapped, Nebraska governor's commission on employment of persons with disabilities, and the Nebraska Easter Seals board of directors.
Pagel was a member of First Lutheran Church in Blair, was active in the community, and served as a member of the board of directors of Memorial Community Hospital for 12 years and as the board's representative on the Health Council of the Midlands. He was a member of the Blair Chamber of Commerce board and in 1987 received its award for distinguished community service. He was also a member of the Board of Review for Alegent Health Systems in Omaha.
When asked what he would remember most about his years at Dana by the late Tom Allen, roving reporter for the Omaha World-Herald, Pagel responded, "The people--students,faculty, staff, alumni, and the internationally-known personalities I was privileged to meet or bring to campus." That list included such names as Lauritz Melchior, Victor Borge, and Her Majesty Queen Margrethe II and Prince Henrik of Denmark.
On the occasion of his retirement from Dana he was named a "Great Dane of Dana," an award he had created but never received earlier, to honor significant accomplishments of persons of Danish descent.
In the fall of 2001, Pagel suffered a sudden illness that resulted in several life-threatening surgeries and the eventual amputation of both of his legs at the hip. Thanks to distinguished medical personnel in Blair and Omaha and his devoted sister, Lorraine Jensen, he was able to spend the remainder of his life at his home in Blair. He died on Thursday, February 6 at Memorial Community Hospital in Blair.
He is survived by one sister, Lorraine Jensen formerly of Minneapolis, Minnesota; one niece Kathy and husband Gary Engstrand and Kathy's son Spencer Allen; one nephew Jim and wife Pam Jensen and their daughter Piper all of Minneapolis; and many cousins and friends.
For the funeral Phil chose Psalm 121 and Psalm 23. Pastors Pam Ciulla and Linda Walz officiated. Dr. Myrvin F. Christopherson, President Emeritus of Dana College spoke words of remembrance. Clare Cowing was organist, and Duey Heffelfinger, who was in administration at Dana Colleg, was vocalist, singing "The Lord's Prayer" and "I Know That My Redeemer Liveth". Congregational hymns were "O For a Thousand Tongues" and "O Day Full of Grace". The recessional selection was "Hail Dana".
Campbell-Aman Funeral Home Blair, NE 402-426-2191 were in charge of arrangements.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Obituary printed in Feb. 11, 2014 Omaha World-Herald, and the funeral leaflet.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Reflections by Chuck Jorgensen, Facebook
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Phillip A. Pagel, 1934-2014
Born Jan. 29, 1934 at his parents' home in Poy Sippi, WI, was the third child born to Letha Jorgensen and Alfred J. Pagel.
Died February 6, 2014. Preceded in death by infant brother and parents, Letha Jorgensen and Alfred Pagel. Survived by one sister, Lorraine Jensen of Blair/Minneapolis; one niece, Kathy Jensen and husband Gary Engstrand; one nephew, James Jensen and wife Pam; one great-nephew, Spencer Allen; one great-niece, Piper Jensen, all of Minneapolis; and numerous cousins and friends.
Service of Remembrance at 11 am on Wednesday, February 12 will be held in his honor at First Lutheran in Blair. Although there will be no visitation, friends are invited to greet the family at a luncheon following the service in the fellowship hall at the church. Memorials are suggested to Danish American Archive and Library, First Lutheran Church, or Memorial Community Hospital, all of Blair.
Pagel was baptized and confirmed at First English Lutheran Church in Poy Sippi--a Danish congregation of the former United Evangelical Lutheran Church.
He graduated from Berlin High School, Berlin, WI, and continued his education at Dana College, receiving his bachelor's degree in 1956.
Following graduation, he took a two-year appointment as Interim Director of Theater and Instructor in Speech at Waukesha Senior High School, Waukesha, Wisconsin.
During the summers of his college and teaching years, he served as program director at the Wisconsin Lions Camp for Visually Handicapped--the first camp of its type in the nation.
In the summer of 1958 he accepted an invitation to return to Dana to organize and manage the college's admissions/student recruitment program and was soon promoted to the position of director of public relations.
His professional career at Dana spanned 40 years. He served under six college presidents and was responsible for the ground breaking and dedication of ten major building projects. He carried various titles during those years and in 1985 was named the college's first Vice President for Institutional Advancement in charge of admissions, financial aid, alumni affairs, development/fund raising, public relations, news service, special events and conferences/conventions.
In 1970, he became a paraplegic as the result of spinal surgery. Although the surgery saved his life and relieved constant pain, it meant living and working from a wheelchair. Which is what he did--including designing and building a wheelchair-accessible home in Blair.
In a 1992 article by Harold Anderson, contributing editor of the Omaha World-Herald, Pagel was named to Andersen's "All Star Team" in recognition of his professional accomplishments in spite of his disability. And in 1994 he was awarded the Victories Award by Immanuel Hospital in Omaha. Between 1970 and his retirement, he served on numerous local, state, and national boards and commissions dealing with disability issues, including the President's Committee on Employment of the Handicapped, Nebraska governor's commission on employment of persons with disabilities, and the Nebraska Easter Seals board of directors.
Pagel was a member of First Lutheran Church in Blair, was active in the community, and served as a member of the board of directors of Memorial Community Hospital for 12 years and as the board's representative on the Health Council of the Midlands. He was a member of the Blair Chamber of Commerce board and in 1987 received its award for distinguished community service. He was also a member of the Board of Review for Alegent Health Systems in Omaha.
When asked what he would remember most about his years at Dana by the late Tom Allen, roving reporter for the Omaha World-Herald, Pagel responded, "The people--students,faculty, staff, alumni, and the internationally-known personalities I was privileged to meet or bring to campus." That list included such names as Lauritz Melchior, Victor Borge, and Her Majesty Queen Margrethe II and Prince Henrik of Denmark.
On the occasion of his retirement from Dana he was named a "Great Dane of Dana," an award he had created but never received earlier, to honor significant accomplishments of persons of Danish descent.
In the fall of 2001, Pagel suffered a sudden illness that resulted in several life-threatening surgeries and the eventual amputation of both of his legs at the hip. Thanks to distinguished medical personnel in Blair and Omaha and his devoted sister, Lorraine Jensen, he was able to spend the remainder of his life at his home in Blair. He died on Thursday, February 6 at Memorial Community Hospital in Blair.
He is survived by one sister, Lorraine Jensen formerly of Minneapolis, Minnesota; one niece Kathy and husband Gary Engstrand and Kathy's son Spencer Allen; one nephew Jim and wife Pam Jensen and their daughter Piper all of Minneapolis; and many cousins and friends.
For the funeral Phil chose Psalm 121 and Psalm 23. Pastors Pam Ciulla and Linda Walz officiated. Dr. Myrvin F. Christopherson, President Emeritus of Dana College spoke words of remembrance. Clare Cowing was organist, and Duey Heffelfinger, who was in administration at Dana Colleg, was vocalist, singing "The Lord's Prayer" and "I Know That My Redeemer Liveth". Congregational hymns were "O For a Thousand Tongues" and "O Day Full of Grace". The recessional selection was "Hail Dana".
Campbell-Aman Funeral Home Blair, NE 402-426-2191 were in charge of arrangements.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Obituary printed in Feb. 11, 2014 Omaha World-Herald, and the funeral leaflet.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Sadly have to report that cousin Phil Pagel has passed away today -- Phil had gone into hospice in Omaha I believe yesterday, was moved to the Blair Hospital today, and soon after our good Lord took him -- Phil was born in Poy Sippi, WI, attended Dana College in the 1950s, and dedicated his life to Dana -- he was Director of Public Relations for years, then became Vice President of the college -- Phil had so many friends over the years, friends that would stop to see him at office or home when they came to Blair -- after his father passed away, his mother Letha came to be with him for years, then his sister Lorraine "Toots" Jensen came to be with him -- he kept a strong positive attitude through the years as life got tougher for him -- in the end, perhaps it was a blessing for his time had come -- RIP, Phil Pagel
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Reflections by Chuck Jorgensen, Facebook
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Phillip A. Pagel, 1934-2014
Born Jan. 29, 1934 at his parents' home in Poy Sippi, WI, was the third child born to Letha Jorgensen and Alfred J. Pagel.
Died February 6, 2014. Preceded in death by infant brother and parents, Letha Jorgensen and Alfred Pagel. Survived by one sister, Lorraine Jensen of Blair/Minneapolis; one niece, Kathy Jensen and husband Gary Engstrand; one nephew, James Jensen and wife Pam; one great-nephew, Spencer Allen; one great-niece, Piper Jensen, all of Minneapolis; and numerous cousins and friends.
Service of Remembrance at 11 am on Wednesday, February 12 will be held in his honor at First Lutheran in Blair. Although there will be no visitation, friends are invited to greet the family at a luncheon following the service in the fellowship hall at the church. Memorials are suggested to Danish American Archive and Library, First Lutheran Church, or Memorial Community Hospital, all of Blair.
Pagel was baptized and confirmed at First English Lutheran Church in Poy Sippi--a Danish congregation of the former United Evangelical Lutheran Church.
He graduated from Berlin High School, Berlin, WI, and continued his education at Dana College, receiving his bachelor's degree in 1956.
Following graduation, he took a two-year appointment as Interim Director of Theater and Instructor in Speech at Waukesha Senior High School, Waukesha, Wisconsin.
During the summers of his college and teaching years, he served as program director at the Wisconsin Lions Camp for Visually Handicapped--the first camp of its type in the nation.
In the summer of 1958 he accepted an invitation to return to Dana to organize and manage the college's admissions/student recruitment program and was soon promoted to the position of director of public relations.
His professional career at Dana spanned 40 years. He served under six college presidents and was responsible for the ground breaking and dedication of ten major building projects. He carried various titles during those years and in 1985 was named the college's first Vice President for Institutional Advancement in charge of admissions, financial aid, alumni affairs, development/fund raising, public relations, news service, special events and conferences/conventions.
In 1970, he became a paraplegic as the result of spinal surgery. Although the surgery saved his life and relieved constant pain, it meant living and working from a wheelchair. Which is what he did--including designing and building a wheelchair-accessible home in Blair.
In a 1992 article by Harold Anderson, contributing editor of the Omaha World-Herald, Pagel was named to Andersen's "All Star Team" in recognition of his professional accomplishments in spite of his disability. And in 1994 he was awarded the Victories Award by Immanuel Hospital in Omaha. Between 1970 and his retirement, he served on numerous local, state, and national boards and commissions dealing with disability issues, including the President's Committee on Employment of the Handicapped, Nebraska governor's commission on employment of persons with disabilities, and the Nebraska Easter Seals board of directors.
Pagel was a member of First Lutheran Church in Blair, was active in the community, and served as a member of the board of directors of Memorial Community Hospital for 12 years and as the board's representative on the Health Council of the Midlands. He was a member of the Blair Chamber of Commerce board and in 1987 received its award for distinguished community service. He was also a member of the Board of Review for Alegent Health Systems in Omaha.
When asked what he would remember most about his years at Dana by the late Tom Allen, roving reporter for the Omaha World-Herald, Pagel responded, "The people--students,faculty, staff, alumni, and the internationally-known personalities I was privileged to meet or bring to campus." That list included such names as Lauritz Melchior, Victor Borge, and Her Majesty Queen Margrethe II and Prince Henrik of Denmark.
On the occasion of his retirement from Dana he was named a "Great Dane of Dana," an award he had created but never received earlier, to honor significant accomplishments of persons of Danish descent.
In the fall of 2001, Pagel suffered a sudden illness that resulted in several life-threatening surgeries and the eventual amputation of both of his legs at the hip. Thanks to distinguished medical personnel in Blair and Omaha and his devoted sister, Lorraine Jensen, he was able to spend the remainder of his life at his home in Blair. He died on Thursday, February 6 at Memorial Community Hospital in Blair.
He is survived by one sister, Lorraine Jensen formerly of Minneapolis, Minnesota; one niece Kathy and husband Gary Engstrand and Kathy's son Spencer Allen; one nephew Jim and wife Pam Jensen and their daughter Piper all of Minneapolis; and many cousins and friends.
For the funeral Phil chose Psalm 121 and Psalm 23. Pastors Pam Ciulla and Linda Walz officiated. Dr. Myrvin F. Christopherson, President Emeritus of Dana College spoke words of remembrance. Clare Cowing was organist, and Duey Heffelfinger, who was in administration at Dana Colleg, was vocalist, singing "The Lord's Prayer" and "I Know That My Redeemer Liveth". Congregational hymns were "O For a Thousand Tongues" and "O Day Full of Grace". The recessional selection was "Hail Dana".
Campbell-Aman Funeral Home Blair, NE 402-426-2191 were in charge of arrangements.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Obituary printed in Feb. 11, 2014 Omaha World-Herald, and the funeral leaflet.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Reflections by Chuck Jorgensen, Facebook
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Phillip A. Pagel, 1934-2014
Born Jan. 29, 1934 at his parents' home in Poy Sippi, WI, was the third child born to Letha Jorgensen and Alfred J. Pagel.
Died February 6, 2014. Preceded in death by infant brother and parents, Letha Jorgensen and Alfred Pagel. Survived by one sister, Lorraine Jensen of Blair/Minneapolis; one niece, Kathy Jensen and husband Gary Engstrand; one nephew, James Jensen and wife Pam; one great-nephew, Spencer Allen; one great-niece, Piper Jensen, all of Minneapolis; and numerous cousins and friends.
Service of Remembrance at 11 am on Wednesday, February 12 will be held in his honor at First Lutheran in Blair. Although there will be no visitation, friends are invited to greet the family at a luncheon following the service in the fellowship hall at the church. Memorials are suggested to Danish American Archive and Library, First Lutheran Church, or Memorial Community Hospital, all of Blair.
Pagel was baptized and confirmed at First English Lutheran Church in Poy Sippi--a Danish congregation of the former United Evangelical Lutheran Church.
He graduated from Berlin High School, Berlin, WI, and continued his education at Dana College, receiving his bachelor's degree in 1956.
Following graduation, he took a two-year appointment as Interim Director of Theater and Instructor in Speech at Waukesha Senior High School, Waukesha, Wisconsin.
During the summers of his college and teaching years, he served as program director at the Wisconsin Lions Camp for Visually Handicapped--the first camp of its type in the nation.
In the summer of 1958 he accepted an invitation to return to Dana to organize and manage the college's admissions/student recruitment program and was soon promoted to the position of director of public relations.
His professional career at Dana spanned 40 years. He served under six college presidents and was responsible for the ground breaking and dedication of ten major building projects. He carried various titles during those years and in 1985 was named the college's first Vice President for Institutional Advancement in charge of admissions, financial aid, alumni affairs, development/fund raising, public relations, news service, special events and conferences/conventions.
In 1970, he became a paraplegic as the result of spinal surgery. Although the surgery saved his life and relieved constant pain, it meant living and working from a wheelchair. Which is what he did--including designing and building a wheelchair-accessible home in Blair.
In a 1992 article by Harold Anderson, contributing editor of the Omaha World-Herald, Pagel was named to Andersen's "All Star Team" in recognition of his professional accomplishments in spite of his disability. And in 1994 he was awarded the Victories Award by Immanuel Hospital in Omaha. Between 1970 and his retirement, he served on numerous local, state, and national boards and commissions dealing with disability issues, including the President's Committee on Employment of the Handicapped, Nebraska governor's commission on employment of persons with disabilities, and the Nebraska Easter Seals board of directors.
Pagel was a member of First Lutheran Church in Blair, was active in the community, and served as a member of the board of directors of Memorial Community Hospital for 12 years and as the board's representative on the Health Council of the Midlands. He was a member of the Blair Chamber of Commerce board and in 1987 received its award for distinguished community service. He was also a member of the Board of Review for Alegent Health Systems in Omaha.
When asked what he would remember most about his years at Dana by the late Tom Allen, roving reporter for the Omaha World-Herald, Pagel responded, "The people--students,faculty, staff, alumni, and the internationally-known personalities I was privileged to meet or bring to campus." That list included such names as Lauritz Melchior, Victor Borge, and Her Majesty Queen Margrethe II and Prince Henrik of Denmark.
On the occasion of his retirement from Dana he was named a "Great Dane of Dana," an award he had created but never received earlier, to honor significant accomplishments of persons of Danish descent.
In the fall of 2001, Pagel suffered a sudden illness that resulted in several life-threatening surgeries and the eventual amputation of both of his legs at the hip. Thanks to distinguished medical personnel in Blair and Omaha and his devoted sister, Lorraine Jensen, he was able to spend the remainder of his life at his home in Blair. He died on Thursday, February 6 at Memorial Community Hospital in Blair.
He is survived by one sister, Lorraine Jensen formerly of Minneapolis, Minnesota; one niece Kathy and husband Gary Engstrand and Kathy's son Spencer Allen; one nephew Jim and wife Pam Jensen and their daughter Piper all of Minneapolis; and many cousins and friends.
For the funeral Phil chose Psalm 121 and Psalm 23. Pastors Pam Ciulla and Linda Walz officiated. Dr. Myrvin F. Christopherson, President Emeritus of Dana College spoke words of remembrance. Clare Cowing was organist, and Duey Heffelfinger, who was in administration at Dana Colleg, was vocalist, singing "The Lord's Prayer" and "I Know That My Redeemer Liveth". Congregational hymns were "O For a Thousand Tongues" and "O Day Full of Grace". The recessional selection was "Hail Dana".
Campbell-Aman Funeral Home Blair, NE 402-426-2191 were in charge of arrangements.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Obituary printed in Feb. 11, 2014 Omaha World-Herald, and the funeral leaflet.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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