Russell Hager

Russell Hager, age 94 of Loogootee, passed away at 8:05pm on Friday September 1, 2017 at Emerald Place in Washington. He was born March 20, 1923 in Lexington, KY to Hank and Mary (Short) Hager. Russ joined the US Marine Corps in August 1942 and was a WWII combat veteran who fought in the bloodiest battle of the Marine Corp history. He was injured in battle and received 2 purple hearts. After an honorable discharge in 1945, he went to work at Crane as an electrician. He worked at Crane for 34 years then opened a gun shop, served as building inspector for the city of Loogootee, a sheriff’s deputy for Martin County and taught gun safety to young boys. Russ was a life time member of the Loogootee VFW, Loogootee American Legion Post 120 and the National Rifle Association. He was an avid gun collector, enjoyed hunting, fishing and bowling. Along with his two purple hearts, Russ also received a WWII Victory Medal, American Campaign Medal Presidential Unit Citation Ribbon, Combat Action Ribbon, inducted into the Library of Congress and into the Honor Roll of the National World War II Museum in Louisiana. Russ was a member of the Christian Church in Lexington, KY and attended the Shoals Baptist Church. Surviving are; his wife of 31 years, Rosalie (Tow-Richardson) Hager; children from his first marriage to Francis Holz, Jim Hager of Loogootee; Linda (Ron) Bledsoe of Loogootee; Robert Hager of Loogootee; step son Brett Richardson of Loogootee; Scott (Diane) Richardson of Washington; sister Lucille Dodd of St. Petersburg, Florida; fifteen grandchildren and 13 great-grandchildren. He is preceded in death by his parents, three brothers, Calvin, Edgar and Wilson, and daughters, Judy Hager and Donna (David) Sanders. Funeral services will be held at 2:00pm Tuesday September 5, 2017 at the Queen-Lee Chapel of the Thorne-George Family Funeral Homes, in Shoals. Visitation will be from 11:00am until time of service at the funeral home. Rev. Alfred Helms will be officiating. Burial will be in the Spring Hill Cemetery with full Military rites. Pallbearers are; Ron Bledsoe, Scott Richardson, Brett Richardson, Mikayla Richardson, Heath Richardson, Tokala Richardson, Jeff Bledsoe and Travis Roush. Honorary Pall Bearers are; Portia Beeden, Demi Chess, Natasha Richardson, Heather Reisinger, Julie Scott, John Scott, Teresa Holt, Melissa Thomas and Judy Archer.