Obituary: Darla Hagen

Darla Hagen

Darla Hagen, age 84, of Sheyenne, N.D., died Saturday, January 21, 2023, at Sanford Health, Bismarck, N.D.

Darla's visitation was Thursday, Jan. 26 from 1:00-7:00 p.m., with family present from 5:00-7:00 p.m., all at Evans Funeral Home, New Rockford.

A funeral service was held Friday, January 27 at 11:00 a.m., at First Lutheran Church, Sheyenne, N.D., with Rev. Jeff Halverson officiating. Organist was Mary Ellen Rue. Prelude was "One Day At A Time." Congregational Hymns were "Amazing Grace" and "Take My Hand Precious Lord." CD music was "Where The Roses Never Fade" and "Where We'll Never Grow Old" by Justin Trevino. Her burial will be at the Eden Lutheran Cemetery, rural Sheyenne, N.D., in the spring.

Pallbearers were Jeff Newman, Andy Uhlich, Jacob Gable, Nathan Lund, Curtis Larson and Sean McKinney.

Honorary pallbearers were all of Darla's grandchildren and James Melaas.

Guardian angels were all of Darla's great-grandchildren.

Darla was born March 27, 1938, at the "Schafer House" which at that time was the hospital in Maddock, N.D. She was the daughter of Elmer and Gladys (Mattson) Guskjolen. She was raised on the family farm in Arne Township, Benson County.

Darla spent her first eight years going to Arne Country School, which was a two-room school, rural Maddock. She was Baptized in the Fairview Lutheran Church, rural Maddock and confirmed at the Maddock North Viking Lutheran Church.

During her high school years, she worked as a CNA in the Maddock Memorial Hospital and later at the State Hospital in Jamestown. She became the charge nurse when they opened the new addition in 1956. Darla continued her education and graduated from Benson County Agriculture and Training School at Maddock on June 1, 1956.

On December 16, 1956, Darla was united in marriage to Virgil Hagen at Fairview Lutheran Church. They lived on a farm west of Sheyenne, where they were blessed with six children that grew up on the family farm.

After twenty-seven years of being out of school, Darla took a satellite nursing course out of Wahpeton, N.D., (State School of Science) and graduated with a degree in Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN). Darla worked for several years at the Lutheran Home of The Good Shepherd in New Rockford and four years at The Good Samaritan Nursing Home in Devils Lake. She also cared for others in their homes in the area as an in-home care program worker.

Darla volunteered her time to many programs throughout the years. She was the president, vice president and secretary for the Eden Church Women and president of the PTA at Sheyenne School. She belonged to Sons of Norway and was on the Wells County Farmers Union Board for several years. She was also secretary and treasurer for the Fairview Cemetery Board.

Darla was a Sunday School teacher from 1964 until 1982. She taught many children including all of her own. She also taught Bible School for many years.

Darla loved her flowers. She could often be found during the summer in her beautiful yard and the gardens she grew. She enjoyed canning and baking everything from scratch that she produced.

She loved spending time with her children as they grew up and had children of their own. Spending time with her grandchildren and her great-grandchildren was a highlight throughout the years. Many nieces, nephews and family friends were cherished as part of her own family. She loved all of those who she knew and they all loved her.

Darla is survived by two sons, Randy (Henrietta), Hutchinson, Minn., and Dean, Maddock, N.D.; three daughters, Charlotte (Douglas) Rupp, Crystal, Minn., Nancy Hagen (Jeff), Harvey, N.D., and Cindy Schuster (Eric), Carrington, N.D.; many grandchildren and great-grandchildren; a sister, Janice (Herb) Hill, Appleton, Wis.; brother, Larry (Nimfa) Guskjolen, Willcox, Ariz.; brother-in-law, Delmer, Cathay, N.D.; sister-in-law, Diane (Ed) Bratvold, Inver Grove Heights, Minn.; and two special family members, LaVonne Anderson and LaVerne Erickson, along with several nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Virgil; a son, Craig; her parents and two grandchildren, Lauren Hagen and Andrew Martinez.

Arrangements by Evans Funeral Home, Carrington and New Rockford, N.D.